Forget your bucket list, a new study has determined the best place to visit and it’s probably not the destination that’s been taking over your Pinterest board.
Unless you’ve been pinning pictures of Spain that is because the Eastern European country has topped the list as the best holiday hot spot for 2017, according to the World Economic Forum’s most travel-friendly destinations study.
The report, which is released every two years, looks at the tourism qualities of 132 countries such as cleanliness, safety and infrastructure. For the second time in a row, Spain has come out numero uno.
Reasons for winning the coveted title include its mix of cultural and natural attractions (Gaudí’s architecture in Barcelona, anyone?) as well its ease of accessibility by plane and quality tourism infrastructure on the ground.
Rounding out the top five was France, Germany, Japan and the UK while Australia came in at number seven.
While the criteria for earning points for the top spot are easily won by some countries (after all, if it’s lucky enough to have a natural wonder it wins points by default) but for other countries they have to earn their place through planning.
India and Vietnam both get an honourable mention this time around, having jumped 12 and eight places respectively over the last two years which sees them move up the ladder to take out the 40th and 67th place, also respectively. Not a bad effort.
Make a note in your phone calendar for two years to the day, perhaps Australia can crack the top five.
