For the first time, Spain ranks as the world’s most tourism-friendly country in the World Economic Forum’s Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Index, according to rankings recently released in a biennial report.
Traditionally strong contenders including France, Germany, the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, and Italy were also ranked in the index’s top 10.
Here’s a look at the top 10 countries:
1. Spain
With approximately 60.6 million annual arrivals from international tourists, Spain tops the list for the first time. The country, rich in cultural resources and entertainment, ranked high in natural and cultural resources. It also scored high in infrastructure, travel and tourism policy and conditions, and business travel. However it ranked poorly in business environment, hiring and firing practices, and pay and productivity.
2. France
France’s natural and cultural resources continue to attract the most tourists of any county with more than 84 million annual arrivals by international tourists. The country also ranks high in infrastructure and overall tourism-enabling environment. But France could use further improvement in the business environment and safety and security categories.
3. Germany
Germany ranked high in the categories of infrastructure, natural and cultural resources, business environment, health and hygiene, and international openness. The country ranked very low on price competitiveness.
4. United States
With a record 74 million international visitors in 2014, the United States was the highest-ranked country in the Americas. The U.S. earned high marks in natural and cultural resources and air transportation infrastructure. It also has a competitive business environment. However, restrictive visa requirements earned low marks for travel facilitation. The U.S. also could improve in the areas of safety and security, ground transportation, and environmental sustainability.
5. United Kingdom
The United Kingdom did well in the categories of business environment, international openness, infrastructure, human resources/labor market, and information communications technology readiness. It scored second to last on price competitiveness.
6. Switzerland
Switzerland earned the top mark for infrastructure. It also did well in the categories of business environment, overall enabling environment, and human resources/labor market. However, Switzerland did not fare well in the category of price competitiveness.
7. Australia
Australia’s natural resources and leisure and entertainment attractions helped earn the country a spot on the top 10 list. The country needs to improve, however, in the categories of price competitiveness and human resources/labor market.
8. Italy
Italy is the fifth-most visited country in the world, according to the report. It also ranks first in World Heritage sites. The country ranked high in the category of natural and cultural resources. Italy could improve in the categories of business environment, price competitiveness, and air and ground infrastructure.
9. Japan
Japan had more than 10 million foreign tourists in 2013, according to the report. The country ranked high in the category of cultural resources and business travel. Japan can improve in the category of price competitiveness.
10. Canada
Canada fared well in the infrastructure category and earned the top mark for air transportation infrastructure. It also scored well in natural resources and cultural resources, and human resources/labor market. But it scored low for price competitiveness.
