Best Luxury Travel Destinations in 2026
We scored 25 countries for luxury travel potential using a dedicated luxury model. Luxury hotel strength and tourism services carry the most weight, climate comfort is the strongest secondary factor, and expensive destinations score higher on purpose to reflect premium travel positioning. Safety, development, food, and culture still matter, but they play supporting roles.
| # | Country | Score | ๐ก๏ธ Safety | ๐ฐ Affordability |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ๐ฒ๐นMaltaSouthern Europe | 84 | 78 | 51 |
| 2 | ๐จ๐ญSwitzerlandWestern Europe | 84 | 83 | 4 |
| 3 | ๐ฆ๐บAustraliaAustralia and New Zealand | 84 | 77 | 25 |
| 4 | ๐ฉ๐ชGermanyWestern Europe | 84 | 74 | 38 |
| 5 | ๐ฎ๐นItalySouthern Europe | 83 | 77 | 49 |
| 6 | ๐ซ๐ทFranceWestern Europe | 82 | 64 | 40 |
| 7 | ๐บ๐ธUnited StatesNorth America | 82 | 38 | 15 |
| 8 | ๐ต๐นPortugalSouthern Europe | 81 | 79 | 57 |
| 9 | ๐ฆ๐นAustriaCentral Europe | 81 | 78 | 37 |
| 10 | ๐ณ๐ฑNetherlandsWestern Europe | 81 | 78 | 35 |
| 11 | ๐ฏ๐ตJapanEastern Asia | 81 | 87 | 51 |
| 12 | ๐ณ๐ฟNew ZealandAustralia and New Zealand | 80 | 74 | 26 |
| 13 | ๐ฉ๐ฐDenmarkNorthern Europe | 80 | 78 | 26 |
| 14 | ๐ญ๐ฐHong KongEastern Asia | 80 | 81 | 42 |
| 15 | ๐ฐ๐ทSouth KoreaEastern Asia | 79 | 79 | 54 |
| 16 | ๐ฌ๐ทGreeceSouthern Europe | 79 | 73 | 57 |
| 17 | ๐ธ๐ฌSingaporeSouth-Eastern Asia | 79 | 91 | 53 |
| 18 | ๐ง๐ชBelgiumWestern Europe | 79 | 73 | 38 |
| 19 | ๐ช๐ธSpainSouthern Europe | 78 | 76 | 53 |
| 20 | ๐ฎ๐ชIrelandNorthern Europe | 77 | 76 | 34 |
| 21 | ๐ฑ๐บLuxembourgWestern Europe | 76 | 64 | 26 |
| 22 | ๐ณ๐ดNorwayNorthern Europe | 76 | 77 | 29 |
| 23 | ๐จ๐ฟCzechiaCentral Europe | 76 | 79 | 58 |
| 24 | ๐ญ๐ทCroatiaSoutheast Europe | 75 | 78 | 64 |
| 25 | ๐ฒ๐ฝMexicoNorth America | 75 | 24 | 59 |
Malta
Switzerland
Australia
Germany
Italy
France
United States
Portugal
Austria
Netherlands
Japan
New Zealand
Denmark
Hong Kong
South Korea
Greece
Singapore
Belgium
Spain
Ireland
Luxembourg
Norway
Czechia
Croatia
Mexico
Methodology
This guide uses a dedicated luxury scoring model instead of our standard weighted travel composite. The ranking emphasizes luxury infrastructure most heavily, using our luxury score built from OpenStreetMap luxury hotel density and World Bank international tourism receipts. Climate comfort is the next most important factor, and cost is intentionally inverted so that higher-end destinations are not penalized for being expensive. Development and safety are included as moderate support signals, while food and culture contribute lighter bonus weight. This approach is meant to surface destinations that excel as luxury getaways, including resort-focused countries that may rank lower on broader culture-heavy travel formulas. Learn more about our methodology on the About page.
Data current as of May 2026 and may change. Rankings are generated algorithmically from publicly available datasets and are not a substitute for independent research. Do not rely solely on this information when making travel decisions. Always verify conditions with official government sources. Terms of Use ยท About our data
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