The World Economic Forum's biannual Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Report ranks 141 countries in terms of attractiveness to overseas visitors, taking into account factors including prices, safety, infrastructure, cultural resources and hygiene.
Here we list the ten best countries to visit. Read on to find out who made the cut.
10. Canada
Annual visitors: 17m (2012 figures)
Canada's air transport infrastructure is the best in the world, the report says, while it came 10th for natural resources. Picture: AP/FOTOLIA
9. Japan
Annual visitors: 8m
Japan came 13th for health and hygiene, 16th for "international openness" and 6th for cultural resources, helping it to 9th overall. Picture: AP/FOTOLIA
8. Italy
Annual visitors: 46m
Unsurprisingly, Italy came 3rd for cultural resources. Its infrastructure (13th overall) was also praised. Picture: AP/FOTOLIA
7. Australia
Annual visitors: 6m
Australia came 4th for air transport infrastructure, and 2nd for natural resources, propelling it to 7th overall. Picture: AP/FOTOLIA
6. Switzerland
Annual visitors: 9m
The most expensive country in the survey still came 6th overall, thanks to its good safety and security (11th), infrastructure (1st), and environmental sustainability (1st). Picture: AP/FOTOLIA
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5. United Kingdom
Annual visitors: 29m
The UK secured 5th place in the report. It came 12th for infrastructure and 7th for cultural resources. Picture: AP/FOTOLIA
4. United States
Annual visitors: 67m
The US has the world's 3rd best travel infrastructure and was ranked 3rd for natural resources, helping it to 4th overall. Picture: AP/FOTOLIA
3. Germany
Annual visitors: 30m
Germany performed strongly in the healthy and hygiene category (2nd), as well as cultural resources (5th), infrastructure (7th) and environmental sustainability (14th). Picture: AP/FOTOLIA
2. France
Annual visitors: 83m
The world's most visited country also has the 4th best infrastructure and the 2nd best cultural resources, according to the report. Picture: AP/FOTOLIA
1. Spain
Annual visitors: 58m
Spain topped the rankings, coming 2nd for infrastructure, 1st for cultural resources and sixth for "prioritisation of travel and tourism". Picture: AP/FOTOLIA
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