While some of the world’s most popular destinations are working to reduce overtourism pressure, others are doing the opposite developing new strategies to draw more visitors. Through cultural heritage sites, international festivals and mega-events, five countries are aiming to accelerate tourism growth in 2026.

As the global tourism sector regains momentum in the post-pandemic era, destination strategies have begun to diverge sharply. While some of Europe’s most popular cities are introducing visitor caps and new levies to ease overtourism pressure, another group of countries is taking the opposite position actively building strategies to grow international tourism demand. Cultural heritage assets, mega sporting events, gastronomy ecosystems and sustainable destination management models are among the most important tools in this competition.

According to World Travel and Tourism Council data, tourism contributed approximately 12 trillion dollars to the global economy in 2025, accounting for around 10 percent of global GDP, while one in every three new jobs created worldwide was linked to the sector. Within this expanding economic ecosystem, some destinations are choosing to limit capacity while others are accelerating growth through infrastructure investment, international events and targeted marketing campaigns.

Namibia: On the Global Radar with a Sustainable Safari Model

One of Africa’s least densely populated countries, Namibia is steadily climbing the agenda of global tour operators, driven by its uncrowded wilderness experience and robust conservation policies.

Since 2019, 136 million Namibian dollars have been invested in improving transport infrastructure around Etosha and Namib-Naukluft National Parks. The Namibia Tourism Board has launched a new promotional campaign targeting markets in Asia, the Middle East and North America, while specialist operators continue to report steady year-on-year growth in demand for Namibia itineraries. At the heart of the country’s tourism model are more than 80 communal conservancies covering approximately 20 percent of its land area widely cited as one of Africa’s most successful examples of community-based wildlife management, simultaneously protecting natural habitats and channelling tourism revenues into local communities.

Regional connectivity is also strengthening rapidly. New air links from the capital Windhoek to Maun, Victoria Falls, Livingstone and Lusaka are integrating Namibia into multi-destination Southern Africa itineraries. For tour operators, the signal is clear: Namibia is no longer a standalone booking but a destination to be built into a broader regional package.

Brazil: Targeting Growth While Keeping It Under Control

Latin America’s largest country, Brazil closed 2025 with more than nine million international visitors, ranking among the highest year-on-year tourism growth rates in the world. In the context of the country’s geographic scale, however, the figure remains modest. Brazil is the world’s fifth largest country by area, and its potential for further growth is considerable.

The government’s strategy is not built around maximising visitor numbers alone, but around distributing tourism flows across different regions, seasons and experience types. In the Pantanal, one of the world’s largest wetlands, only 20 traditional lodges operate, while the town of Bonito caps daily visitor numbers at each natural attraction through a strict quota system. Growth is a deliberate goal but not at the expense of the destination itself.

Upcoming major sporting events will add significant momentum to this strategy. The 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup and the 2028 Summer Olympics are expected to generate a new and sustained wave of demand for Brazil, particularly within the MICE and events tourism segments.

Vietnam: Building Tourism Capacity with a New Airport

One of Southeast Asia’s fastest-growing tourism markets, Vietnam welcomed more than 21 million international visitors in 2025, setting a new record. Visa facilitation measures played a decisive role in this growth: exemptions extended to travellers from the UK, Germany, France and numerous other European countries drove a 39 percent surge in European arrivals.

The country’s most significant infrastructure move, however, has yet to come. Long Thanh International Airport, under construction near Ho Chi Minh City, is scheduled to begin operations in mid-2026 with an annual capacity of 25 million passengers. Long-haul international flights from Europe, India, the Middle East and North America will shift from the heavily congested Tan Son Nhat Airport to this new facility. For tour operators and airlines, this development is an unmistakable signal to reassess Vietnam’s position within their long-haul portfolio.

Lithuania: A Quality Tourism Strategy in the Baltic

One of the Baltic region’s fastest-developing tourism destinations, Lithuania approved its first national Tourism Roadmap in 2024, targeting a doubling of tourism’s contribution to the economy by 2030. International arrivals grew 4.4 percent in 2025, and the country’s airports reached their highest ever passenger volumes.

The capital Vilnius sits at the centre of this growth. Named European Green Capital for 2025, the city has approximately 60 percent of its area covered by forests and parks. With four Michelin-starred restaurants and a “New Baltic Cuisine” movement built around fermentation and foraged ingredients, Vilnius is carving out an increasingly strong position in gastronomy tourism. The ambition of Vilnius tourism management is clear: not more visitors, but longer-staying visitors who genuinely engage with the city’s cultural ecosystem. The city’s free “Meet a Local” programme remains one of the most tangible expressions of this philosophy.

Canada: Targeting a Return to the Global Top Seven

Having slipped from the top ten to 13th place in the World Economic Forum’s Travel and Tourism Development Index, Canada launched a national tourism strategy in 2024 with a target of returning to the top seven destinations globally by 2030. The sector supports more than two million jobs across the country and plays a particularly critical role in sustaining rural and remote community economies.

This summer’s FIFA World Cup, which Canada will co-host, is expected to serve as a significant catalyst for international visibility. Indigenous community tourism is one of the most tangible pillars of the country’s culture and nature-based strategy: more than 400 Indigenous tourism businesses operate across British Columbia alone. The Okanagan Valley’s vineyard routes and lakeside towns, alongside Kelowna named a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy in 2025 are emerging as the destination’s new focal points.

Global tourism competition is no longer shaped by price and capacity alone it is shaped by strategy and identity. The shared message from these five countries is unambiguous: sustainable growth, the right visitor profile and genuine connection with local communities will define the winners of the coming decade.