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Countries most dependent on tourism

Travel to many top destinations around the world was severely curtailed or even stalled for much of 2020 as the world grappled with the coronavirus pandemic. A year later, these locations are beginning to welcome the return of visitors.

Stacker consulted the World Bank’s TCdata360 database released in 2020 in order to rank the 50 countries most dependent on tourism. To make the list, countries had to be a member of the United Nations. Rankings were determined by the percentage that tourism contributes to the GDP, with all monetary values given in U.S. dollars. We've additionally layered in context around what draws tourists to these locations.

As you could expect, many of the spots are islands in places such as the Caribbean, the South Pacific, and the Indian Ocean. Tourists are drawn by the warm weather, the fine beaches, and outdoor activities such as swimming and hiking. Others are in Europe and Africa, where travelers seek out cultural experiences and adventures

#5 Vanatu

- Tourism total contribution to GDP: $380.4 million (45.9% of total GDP; 21.6% decrease since 1998)

- Jobs reliant on tourism: 30,800 (39.2% of total jobs)

Vanuatu is a country in the South Pacific with about 80 islands. Visitors can go scuba diving in the coral reefs and explore the SS President Coolidge, a World War II troopship that sank as it tried to pass through the Segond Channel, forcing its evacuation. Community tours demonstrate ancient ways of living, dances, and other cultural heritage.

#4. The Bahamas

- Tourism total contribution to GDP: $4.5 billion (48.3% of total GDP; 4.4% increase since 1998)

- Jobs reliant on tourism: 114,900 (56.2% of total jobs)

The Bahamas comprises 16 major islands in the Atlantic Ocean. Tourists can choose between exploring the capital, Nassau, enjoying Paradise Island, swimming with the wild pigs on Big Major Cay, or visiting Eleuthera’s pink-sand beaches.

#3. Antigua and Barbuda

- Tourism total contribution to GDP: $806.1 million (52.4% of total GDP; 29.5% decrease since 1998)

- Jobs reliant on tourism: 17,000 (46.2% of total jobs)

The islands, former British colonies in the Caribbean, both have beautiful beaches. Antigua is the busier of the two and the capital, St. John’s, is a port for cruise ships. It offers museums and colonial buildings to tour. Barbuda has the well-known Frigate Bird Sanctuary.

#2. Seychelles

- Tourism total contribution to GDP: $999.9 million (64.2% of total GDP; 13.5% increase since 1998)

- Jobs reliant on tourism: 29,700 (63.7% of total jobs)

An archipelago of 115 granite and coral islands off East Africa in the Indian Ocean, the Seychelles boasts beaches, nature preserves, and coral reefs, and nature reserves. Among the wildlife are the giant Aldabra tortoises. The capital, Victoria, is on Mahé, which also has the Morne Seychellois National Park.

#1. Maldives

- Tourism total contribution to GDP: $3 billion (75.1% of total GDP; 44.2% increase since 1998)

- Jobs reliant on tourism: 80,400 (36.7% of total jobs)

The Maldives is made up of 1,200 islands in the Indian Ocean, among them atolls, coral reefs, and coral islands. Only about 200 of them are inhabited. Tourists visit beaches and the reef formations for which the Maldives is known, and can go kayaking, snorkeling, and picnicking on one of the uninhabited islands. But the Maldives also is disappearing under the rising water caused by climate change.

And as always have a chilled day from the Viking