If you’ve been weighing up your next holiday between Barcelona, Tokyo or a US road trip, there’s a new ranking out that might tip the scales. Spain has just been placed third in the world for how well it develops and manages tourism, trailing only Japan and the United States.
For a lot of people in Kuwait, Spain is already a familiar name on the summer travel list, whether for the beaches, the food or just a break from the heat back home. This new ranking from the World Economic Forum gives a clearer picture of why so many travellers keep choosing it.
The short version
- Spain ranks third globally in the WEF’s 2026 Travel & Tourism Development Index, behind Japan and the US.
- The index looks at safety, infrastructure, price competitiveness, air transport, and cultural and natural resources.
- Spain welcomed a record 96.8 million tourists in 2025, up 3.2% on the year before, making it the world’s second most-visited country after France.
- In the first seven months of 2026 alone, Spain received 58.1 million international visitors, a 4.6% rise on the same period last year.
Why does Spain keep scoring so well?
The WEF index isn’t just about who gets the most tourists. It measures the conditions that make tourism sustainable over the long run: things like how easy it is to get around, how safe a country feels, and whether the infrastructure can handle large numbers of visitors without falling apart.
Spain ticks a lot of those boxes. It has the world’s second-largest high-speed rail network, which means getting from Madrid to Seville or Barcelona doesn’t eat up your whole trip. Airports across the country have also been modernised in recent years, something that matters for travellers who want fewer delays and smoother connections. Good airport infrastructure tends to shape how people remember a trip just as much as the destination itself.
On top of that, Spain offers a mix of city breaks, coastal resorts, countryside escapes and historic towns, so it appeals to very different kinds of travellers without relying on just one type of attraction.
What’s behind the record numbers?
Spain’s tourism boom isn’t happening in a vacuum. Some of the shift is being linked to travellers choosing Spain over destinations in the Middle East as a result of regional instability, with Spain’s reputation as a stable, safe destination working in its favour.
Whatever the reasons, the numbers speak for themselves. Spain pulled in 96.8 million tourists in 2025, its highest figure ever, and the momentum has carried into 2026 with 58.1 million visitors between January and July.
What this means if you’re planning a trip from Kuwait
None of this is a reason to panic about prices going up overnight, but it’s worth knowing that Spain is firmly in demand right now. More visitors generally means busier flights, fuller hotels in peak season, and sometimes higher prices during the summer months.
If you’re the type who books flights months in advance anyway, this is a nudge to do it sooner rather than later, especially for travel during European summer or around major holidays. If you prefer quieter trips, aiming for the shoulder seasons like spring or early autumn might be the better move.
Quick answers
Which countries ranked above Spain?
Japan came first, followed by the United States, with Spain in third place in the WEF’s 2026 index.
Is Spain the most visited country in the world?
Not quite. France remains the most visited country overall, with Spain in second place for total visitor numbers in 2025.
What does the index actually measure?
It looks at factors like safety and health conditions, price competitiveness, air transport and ground infrastructure, tourist services, and natural and cultural resources, rather than just raw visitor numbers.
Spain clearly isn’t short on reasons to visit. If you’ve been there recently, or you’re planning a trip soon, it’d be good to hear in the comments how the crowds and prices compared with your last visit.