Countries With the Fastest Growth in Tourism arrivals (5-Year Change)
Change in Tourism arrivals over the five years to each country's latest year, as a percentage of the earlier value. Only countries that rose are listed. Source: The World Bank (CC BY 4.0).
Summary
Tajikistan rose the most: by 397.6%, from 208,000 arrivals to 1.04 million arrivals in the five years to 2018. Uzbekistan is second (+262.5%), followed by Virgin Islands (US) (+225.8%). 51 countries rose over that period; the median change among them was +33.9%.
- #1
- Tajikistan · +397.6%
- Median
- +33.9%
- Coverage
- 51 countries
- Data year
- 2020
- Last updated
- 2026-11-14
Full ranking
| Rank | Country | From | To | 5-year change (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tajikistan | 208,000 | 1,035,000 | +397.6% |
| 2 | Uzbekistan | 1,862,000 | 6,749,000 | +262.5% |
| 3 | Virgin Islands (US) | 2,643,000 | 8,612,000 | +225.8% |
| 4 | Tuvalu | 1,400 | 3,600 | +157.1% |
| 5 | Bangladesh | 134,000 | 323,000 | +141% |
| 6 | Kyrgyz Republic | 3,791,000 | 8,508,000 | +124.4% |
| 7 | Burundi | 147,000 | 299,000 | +103.4% |
| 8 | St. Vincent and the Grenadines | 205,000 | 392,000 | +91.2% |
| 9 | Congo, Dem. Rep. | 186,000 | 351,000 | +88.7% |
| 10 | Togo | 273,000 | 482,000 | +76.6% |
| 11 | Cyprus | 2,558,000 | 4,117,000 | +60.9% |
| 12 | Thailand | 24,810,000 | 39,916,000 | +60.9% |
| 13 | Kenya | 1,350,000 | 2,049,000 | +51.8% |
| 14 | Israel | 3,251,000 | 4,905,000 | +50.9% |
| 15 | Guinea-Bissau | 36,100 | 52,400 | +45.2% |
| 16 | Kiribati | 8,300 | 12,000 | +44.6% |
| 17 | Lebanon | 1,355,000 | 1,936,000 | +42.9% |
| 18 | Tonga | 65,800 | 94,000 | +42.9% |
| 19 | Senegal | 967,000 | 1,376,000 | +42.3% |
| 20 | Sudan | 591,000 | 836,000 | +41.5% |
| 21 | Nigeria | 3,765,000 | 5,265,000 | +39.8% |
| 22 | Czechia | 27,166,000 | 37,202,000 | +36.9% |
| 23 | India | 13,107,000 | 17,914,000 | +36.7% |
| 24 | Sierra Leone | 53,000 | 71,000 | +34% |
| 25 | Tanzania | 1,140,000 | 1,527,000 | +33.9% |
| 26 | Rwanda | 1,220,000 | 1,634,000 | +33.9% |
| 27 | Eritrea | 107,000 | 142,000 | +32.7% |
| 28 | Egypt, Arab Rep. | 9,878,000 | 13,026,000 | +31.9% |
| 29 | Mali | 168,000 | 217,000 | +29.2% |
| 30 | Switzerland | 9,158,000 | 11,818,000 | +29% |
| 31 | Benin | 265,000 | 337,000 | +27.2% |
| 32 | Canada | 25,558,000 | 32,430,000 | +26.9% |
| 33 | Timor-Leste | 60,000 | 74,800 | +24.7% |
| 34 | Marshall Islands | 4,900 | 6,100 | +24.5% |
| 35 | Ecuador | 1,695,000 | 2,108,000 | +24.4% |
| 36 | Ireland | 8,813,000 | 10,951,000 | +24.3% |
| 37 | Cameroon | 822,000 | 1,021,000 | +24.2% |
| 38 | Slovak Republic | 12,583,000 | 15,299,000 | +21.6% |
| 39 | Poland | 73,750,000 | 88,515,000 | +20% |
| 40 | Chile | 4,601,000 | 5,431,000 | +18% |
| 41 | Suriname | 240,000 | 279,000 | +16.3% |
| 42 | Mozambique | 1,751,000 | 2,033,000 | +16.1% |
| 43 | Curaçao | 1,129,000 | 1,293,000 | +14.5% |
| 44 | Aruba | 1,739,000 | 1,951,000 | +12.2% |
| 45 | Malawi | 795,000 | 871,000 | +9.56% |
| 46 | Uruguay | 3,195,000 | 3,480,000 | +8.92% |
| 47 | Northern Mariana Islands | 460,000 | 487,000 | +5.87% |
| 48 | Lesotho | 1,079,000 | 1,142,000 | +5.84% |
| 49 | Argentina | 7,165,000 | 7,399,000 | +3.27% |
| 50 | Guinea | 96,000 | 99,000 | +3.13% |
| 51 | Liechtenstein | 56,700 | 58,400 | +3% |
About the top 10
#1 Tajikistan
Tajikistan ranks #1 on this list with +397.6%.
- Capital
- Dushanbe
- Continent
- Asia
- Income group
- Lower middle income
- Population
- 10.79 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$17.66 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$1,637 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 71.9 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 26.2% of population (2025)
Also ranks #2 in livestock production index · #9 in gdp growth rate · #12 in gross savings rate.
#2 Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan ranks #2 on this list with +262.5%.
- Capital
- Tashkent
- Continent
- Asia
- Income group
- Lower middle income
- Population
- 37.05 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$147.04 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$3,968 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 72.5 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 51% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Tashkent.
Also ranks #2 in literacy rate · #4 in deposit interest rate · #5 in bank branches per 100,000 adults.
#3 Virgin Islands (US)
Virgin Islands (US) ranks #3 on this list with +225.8%.
- Capital
- Charlotte Amalie
- Continent
- North America
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 103,790 people (2025)
- GDP
- US$4.67 billion (2022)
- GDP per person
- US$44,321 (2022)
- Life expectancy
- 80.8 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 95.4% of population (2025)
Also ranks #8 in age dependency ratio (old) · #8 in trade share of gdp · #13 in population ages 65+ share.
#4 Tuvalu
Tuvalu ranks #4 on this list with +157.1%.
- Capital
- Funafuti
- Continent
- Oceania
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 9,492 people (2025)
- GDP
- US$57.35 million (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$6,041 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 67.3 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 65.4% of population (2025)
Also ranks #1 in agricultural land share · #1 in health expenditure share of gdp · #1 in literacy rate.
#5 Bangladesh
Bangladesh ranks #5 on this list with +141%.
- Capital
- Dhaka
- Continent
- Asia
- Income group
- Lower middle income
- Population
- 175.69 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$456.32 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$2,597 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 74.9 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 33.2% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Dhaka, Chittagong, Gazipur.
Also ranks #1 in arable land share · #2 in irrigated land share · #2 in low-birthweight babies share.
#6 Kyrgyz Republic
Kyrgyz Republic ranks #6 on this list with +124.4%.
- Capital
- Bishkek
- Continent
- Asia
- Income group
- Lower middle income
- Population
- 7.34 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$22.62 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$3,081 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 72.4 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 34.7% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Bishkek.
Also ranks #5 in gdp growth rate · #8 in income share of poorest 10% · #10 in mineral rents share of gdp.
#7 Burundi
Burundi ranks #7 on this list with +103.4%.
- Capital
- Gitega
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Low income
- Population
- 14.39 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$3.36 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$233.8 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 63.8 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 25.7% of population (2025)
Also ranks #1 in prevalence of stunting (under-5) · #3 in forest rents share of gdp · #3 in real effective exchange rate index.
#8 St. Vincent and the Grenadines
St. Vincent and the Grenadines ranks #8 on this list with +91.2%.
- Capital
- Kingstown
- Continent
- North America
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 99,924 people (2025)
- GDP
- US$1.26 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$12,562 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 71.4 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 48% of population (2025)
Also ranks #3 in homicide rate · #5 in cereal yield · #6 in youth unemployment rate.
#9 Congo, Dem. Rep.
Congo, Dem. Rep. ranks #9 on this list with +88.7%.
- Capital
- Kinshasa
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Low income
- Population
- 112.83 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$91.03 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$806.8 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 62.1 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 45.1% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Kinshasa, Mbuji-Mayi, Kananga.
Also ranks #1 in renewable energy share · #1 in poverty headcount ratio · #1 in mineral rents share of gdp.
#10 Togo
Togo ranks #10 on this list with +76.6%.
- Capital
- Lomé
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Lower middle income
- Population
- 8.59 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$11.89 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$1,384 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 62.9 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 44.4% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Lomé.
Also ranks #8 in arable land share · #19 in age dependency ratio · #19 in age dependency ratio (young).
Profile facts: World Bank (CC BY 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0); weather links go to Purr Weather, another ChowChow Labs site.
Source and method
Change in Tourism arrivals over the five years to each country's latest year, as a percentage of the earlier value. Only countries that rose are listed.
Source: The World Bank, indicator ST.INT.ARVL. Licence: CC BY 4.0. Retrieved: 2026-11-14.
The World Bank: International tourism, number of arrivals: Yearbook of Tourism Statistics, Compendium of Tourism Statistics and data files, UN Tourism (via World Development Indicators)
Original data provider, as recorded by the World Bank: Yearbook of Tourism Statistics, Compendium of Tourism Statistics and data files, UN Tourism.
Values are shown as published (changes are computed from the published values). Provider terms: The World Bank. All licences: Sources & licences.