The Philippines improved eight places in the global tourism rankings this year, emerging as the seventh-fastest improving economy in the 2026 Travel and Tourism Development Index (TTDI) of the World Economic Forum (WEF).
The country ranked 57th out of 110 economies in the latest index, which measures the conditions supporting sustainable and resilient tourism development.
Tourism Secretary Dita Angara-Mathay attributed the improvement to investments and reforms across the tourism sector, including infrastructure, local destinations and cultural sites.
“This is proof that the work we have been putting into our tourism sector, from our airports and seaports to our local markets and cultural destinations, is being felt and recognized internationally. But we acknowledge we have a long way to go, and we are working hard to ensure that every Filipino community that welcomes tourists reaps the benefits through better jobs, better livelihoods, and a better quality of life,” Angara-Mathay said.
Sustainability recorded the Philippines’ biggest improvement among the index’s dimensions, with the country rising from 64th to 29th in Travel and Tourism Sustainability.
The improvement was driven by higher scores in nature protection and wastewater treatment. The Philippines also ranked second globally in the Travel and Tourism Demand Sustainability pillar after its score for geographically dispersed tourism increased from 3.2 to 5.2 out of 7.
The latest ranking followed the Philippines’ recognition as Global Dive Destination of the Year at the ADEX Big Blue Legacy Awards 2026 and Best Dive Destination at the DRT Show Shanghai 2026.
“Our islands, reefs, forests, and heritage sites are what make the Philippines worth visiting. Ensuring that these treasures are protected, while responsibly managing the growth and impacts of tourism, remains our key priority to ensure that future generations are able to benefit from it,” Angara-Mathay said.
The country also made significant gains in ground transport and port connectivity, moving from 80th to 49th. The Philippines gained 26 places in the category over the past two years, supported by higher ratings for seaport, public transport and train efficiency.
The Department of Tourism said the progress reflected coordination with the Department of Transportation, Civil Aeronautics Board, Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines and Department of Public Works and Highways on improvements involving airports, seaports, railways, roads and bridges.
Safety and security also improved, with the Philippines moving from 93rd to 73rd. The index cited a decline in homicide incidents from about 10.5 to 4.4 per 100,000 people.
The Tourism Department also cited its coordination with the Philippine National Police on tourist safety, including the rollout of a manual covering tourist safety and disaster response.
Policy and enabling conditions remained the country’s strongest-performing dimension, rising from 33rd in 2019 to 12th in 2026. Government spending on tourism increased from 3.1 percent of the national budget in 2019 to 5.8 percent in 2026.
Culture and heritage posted the largest score increase among the country’s 17 pillars, climbing 43 percent since 2019. The Philippines rose from 52nd to 38th in the category, alongside the growth in its UNESCO Creative Cities from one in 2019 to five.
The Philippines received an overall score of 4.08 out of 7 and was identified by the WEF as one of the world’s 10 major emerging tourism economies, along with China, India, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Viet Nam, Türkiye, Mexico and Brazil.
The TTDI evaluates economies across five dimensions and 17 pillars using 102 indicators to assess the factors that support sustainable and resilient tourism development.
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