In this article, we are going to discuss the 25 countries with the best beaches.
There’s simply no better place to let go of daily stress than on the beach. From examining the tiniest little seashell to experiencing the vastness of the ocean, there is nothing quite like it. Beach tourism started off in the 17th and 18th centuries as a strictly medical undertaking, often prescribed by English physicians as a popular treatment for conditions like tuberculosis and ‘melancholy’. Like so many things at the time, the seaside vacation became one of Britain’s cultural exports, spreading both by word of mouth and through expatriate Britons. By the early 19th century, seaside resorts were springing up in France, Germany, Scandinavia, and gradually, even made their way to the New World.
The Global Tourism Industry:
Tourism has evolved into a massive industry with time, encompassing several other sectors, such as hospitality, transport, entertainment etc. In 1950, at the dawn of the jet age, just 25 million people took foreign trips, and by 2019, that number had reached 1.5 billion. As we mentioned in our article – 30 Most Magical Places in the World – the global Travel & Tourism (T&T) industry is expected to grow at a CAGR of 3.1% between 2021 and 2026, to be worth an estimated $8.9 trillion by the end of the forecast period.
The World Tourism and Travel Council has reported that the T&T sector contributed 7.6% to the global GDP in 2022, an increase of 22% from 2021 and only 23% below 2019 levels.
The Importance of Cruise Tourism:
For many popular beach holiday destinations, in particular small Caribbean islands, cruises constitute more than 50% of the total of tourism arrivals, generating important receipts through the services supplied by the port and expenditures of passengers and crew. In 2019, the global cruise industry welcomed 29.7 million passengers, created jobs for 1.8 million people around the world, and contributed over $154 billion to the global economy.
When WHO declared the global pandemic, Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) member cruise lines announced a voluntary suspension of operations worldwide, making the sector one of the first to do so. However, 2022 saw a resurgence of the sector and the global volume of cruise passengers totaled just over 20 million last year. The United States, with its long coastlines and access to many nearby ports in the tropical Caribbean Sea, is the world leader in cruise revenue.
The Miami-based Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (NYSE:RCL) is an important player in the industry. The company welcomed over 4.6 million passengers in 2022 and also boasts five of the world’s largest cruise ships in its fleet. In fact, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (NYSE:RCL) has been making headlines recently because the cruise holding company is getting ready to launch the world’s largest cruise ship – Icon of the Seas – in January 2024. While some have labeled the colossal structure a ‘monstrosity’, citing its vast climate footprint, others are in awe of the sophisticated engineering integrated into this luxurious floating holiday destination and are flocking to buy tickets.
The company is also moving ahead with the development of the first Royal Beach Club in the Bahamas this year after receiving approval from the government. Crafted in close collaboration with the Bahamian government, the new project will feature a public-private partnership in which Bahamians will be invited to own up to 49% equity.
Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (NYSE:RCL) sits among the 12 Best High Beta Stocks to Buy Now.
The Need for Sustainable Tourism:
Sustainable tourism can be defined as a kind of tourism that has more benefits than negative impacts, especially relating to the environment, the economy, and communities. The popularity of beaches as an ideal getaway leads to overflowing masses of tourists every year, putting the coastal and marine environment at risk.
Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. (NYSE:HLT) is among the most recognizable names in the hospitality industry. The Virginia-based company manages and franchises a broad portfolio of the best beach resorts and oceanfront hotels, steps away from some of the most picturesque waterfronts in the world. Hilton’s Corporate Responsibility strategy aims to redefine and advance sustainable travel globally, and by 2030, the company plans to double its social impact investment and cut its environmental footprint by half. From preserving mangroves in Curaçao to avoiding single-use plastics in Cancun, ecotourism is already the way of the future for Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. (NYSE:HLT).
With coral bleaching occurring in tropical regions such as Seychelles, the Hilton Seychelles Northolme Resort & Spa has partnered with the Marine Conservation Society and local environmental organizations to tackle the grave issue. These measures include maintaining coral reef nurseries, where guests are encouraged to visit newly grown coral in its tanks before it is replanted, or take a guided snorkeling trail around the nurseries. Guests can even ‘adopt’ corals through the Marine Conservation Society to support the project, totaling over 300 adoptions to date. As a result of their various impact tourism programs, Hilton Seychelles Labriz Resort & Spa and Hilton Seychelles Northolme Resort & Spa have become the first Hilton hotels in the Africa and Indian Ocean region to be certified by Green Globe.
Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. (NYSE:HLT) ranks among the Most Valuable Hotel Companies in the World.
With that said, here are the Countries with the Best Beaches in 2023.
A traveler walking along a white-sand beach, a luxury resort in the background.
Methodology:
To collect data for this article, we have referred to a number of sources such as Lonely Planet and Travel + Leisure, among other sources. We also went to Reddit, looking for the Countries with the Most Beautiful Beaches in the World. We picked countries that appeared at least thrice in our research, assigned them a score based on their number of appearances, and ranked them accordingly. When two countries had the same score, we ranked them by the number of tourists they received in 2022.
If you’re also interested in heritage tourism, here are the 30 Must-See UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
25. Cook Islands
Insider Monkey Score: 3
No. of Tourists in 2022: 121,000
The South Pacific nation of Cook Islands registered significant growth in tourist arrivals last year when it received 121,000 visitors, compared to the Covid-19 border-closure affected years of 2020 and 2021, which both registered about 30,000 visitor arrivals. There are several encouraging signs that the 2023 season will be even busier – Hawaiian Airlines will be coming into Rarotonga, Air New Zealand will increase its flight numbers by 19% going into the winter season, and Jetstar is introducing direct flights from Sydney.
24. Fiji
Insider Monkey Score: 3
No. of Tourists in 2022: 636,312
Fiji is the most developed island state in Oceania in terms of tourism. The bulk of tourists come from Australia, followed by New Zealand, U.S., Canada, Europe, and the Asian region, including Japan.
Fiji’s economy, which shrank by around 20% in the wake of pandemic-related global travel restrictions, is strengthening as tourism and related service industries recover following reopening of borders in December 2021.
23. Maldives
Insider Monkey Score: 3
No. of Tourists in 2022: 1.68 million
Maldives once again secured the title of the World’s Leading Destination (among several other accolades) at the 2022 World Travel Awards, globally recognized as the hallmark of industry excellence. Tourism now contributes over 17% to the country’s GDP, generating 70% of all foreign currency earnings and 40% of the government revenue.
Maldives ranks among the Most Beautiful Island Countries in the World.
22. Jamaica
Insider Monkey Score: 3
No. of Tourists in 2022: 3.7 million
One of the most beautiful islands in the Caribbean, Jamaica is the stuff of tropical dreams – gorgeous beaches, lush rainforests, spectacular waterfalls, lazy rivers for rafting, and caves for exploring.
The number of tourists flocking to Jamaica’s sun-drenched beaches soared nearly 100% in the first three months of 2023, causing long queues and hours-long waits for arriving passengers at the island’s main airport. Prime Minister Andrew Holness said the problems at Sangster International Airport underscored the need to push through the $70 million modernization and expansion project that was already underway.
21. The Bahamas
Insider Monkey Score: 3
No. of Tourists in 2022: 7 million
The beaches of the Bahamas are indisputably the primary reason people visit these islands, as they offer endless stretches of white sand, turquoise waters, and a true tropical paradise.
Tourism makes up 50% of the Scenic Island Nation’s GDP, rising as high as 70% when factoring in tourism-related services and construction, and is expected to be the lifeblood of the Bahamian economy going forward.
20. Mauritius
Insider Monkey Score: 4
No. of Tourists in 2022: 1 million
Mauritius is famed for having some of the nicest beaches in the world, framed by stunning mountain landscapes and lush emerald terrain.
The island nation rolled out several initiatives in 2022 that contributed to its success as a destination. To attract digital nomads, Mauritius has introduced the Premium Travel Visa, which allows foreign nationals to live and work remotely from the country for a period of up to one year.
19. Iceland
Insider Monkey Score: 4
No. of Tourists in 2022: 1.89 million
The unearthly beaches of Iceland are very popular amongst tourists and locals alike. Due to the volcanic nature of the island, many of the country’s beaches are made up of jet-black sand.
Though receipts from tourism fell from $3.4 billion in 2019 to only $814 million in 2020, the Icelandic government invested heavily on marketing the destination during the pandemic. Opened to travel since June 2020, the country had a very low Covid case count, making it attractive for people who still wanted to travel amid the lockdowns.
18. Dominican Republic
Insider Monkey Score: 4
No. of Tourists in 2022: 8.5 million
Palm-studded, continuous diamond white beaches are synonymous with Punta Cana, but the Dominican Republic’s stunning beaches extend countrywide.
In 2022, the revenue generated by the tourism sector in the Dominican Republic amounted to approximately $8.4 billion, growing by roughly 48% compared to the previous year. The resort town of Punta Cana in the DR ranks among the Top 10 Beaches in the Caribbean.
17. Costa Rica
Insider Monkey Score: 5
No. of Tourists in 2022: 2.12 million
With coastlines on the Pacific and Caribbean, Costa Rica is home to some of the prettiest beaches in the world. The country’s beaches have something for everyone, from gentle swimming holes to huge breaks perfect for adventurous surfers.
Costa Rica receives more than 1.7 million tourists per year, the majority of whom come from the United States and Canada, while annual earnings from the tourism industry can amount to over $1.7 billion.
16. Scotland
Insider Monkey Score: 5
No. of Tourists in 2022: 3.2 million
Scotland is an amazing destination that tourists always find enthralling. You can find idyllic beaches all over the country, from the southeast coast of East Lothian to the far reaches of the Outer Hebrides.
Tourism is one of the seven growth industries in Scotland, contributing more than $4.9 billion to the economy each year. Nature-based tourism is estimated to contribute nearly 40% of all tourism spending in the country, while supporting 39,000 jobs.
15. Thailand
Insider Monkey Score: 5
No. of Tourists in 2022: 11.15 million
Thailand is undoubtedly one of the best beach destinations in the world. Though there is beauty to be uncovered in all corners of this friendly nation, the island areas of Phuket and Koh Samui are among the most adored.
Every year, the Thai government takes extreme measures to protect the most heavily-visited regions of the country by closing them to tourists. The biggest example of this is when Thailand closed Maya Bay, which became very popular after it featured in the movie ‘The Beach’, starring Leonardo di Caprio.
14. Spain
Insider Monkey Score: 5
No. of Tourists in 2022: 71.6 million
Not only flamenco dancing, football clubs, monumental buildings, stunning art, and distinctive folklore, but Spain is also popular for its fascinating beaches. With the Spanish coastline stretching 3,576 miles, there are countless options around the country.
Earlier this year, the Spanish government approved the spending of $1.4 million to prepare the Costa del Sol’s beaches for the summer season. The work mainly consisted of adding sand, profiling the coastline, and removing elements exposed by the waves on some 39 beaches.
Spain ranks among the Countries with the Most Picturesque Beaches.
13. French Polynesia
Insider Monkey Score: 6
No. of Tourists in 2022: 260,000
The Southern Pacific country of French Polynesia includes some of the most beautiful islands in the world, like Bora Bora, Mo’orea, and Tahiti. Even during the pandemic, the islands only shut down for two 2-month periods, so tourism remained relatively strong, especially from its two main markets – the U.S. and France.
12. Tanzania
Insider Monkey Score: 6
No. of Tourists in 2022: 1.45 million
The African water spirits blessed Tanzania with more than 885 miles of coastline, dusted with white powder sands, kissed by the African sun, and lapped by azure waves.
Tourism is the flagship economic sector in the Zanzibar archipelago, which accounts for about 27% of GDP, around 80% of foreign exchange earnings, and an estimated 60,000 jobs.
11. India
Insider Monkey Score: 6
No. of Tourists in 2022: 6.19 million
India is home to many beautiful and popular beaches that are thronged by visitors almost throughout the year. Beaches, found in popular destinations such as Visakhapatnam, Mumbai, Chennai, Goa, Kerala, and Odisha, are vital assets for the South Asian country’s tourism industry.
10. Seychelles
Insider Monkey Score: 7
No. of Tourists in 2022: 334,552
The Seychelles, considered one of the top honeymoon destinations in the world, is a group of islands in the Indian Ocean known for their beautiful stretches of sand.
Seychelles started the year 2022 with many uncertainties, one of them being the Ukraine war as Russia at the time was its main market. However, despite these challenges, things worked out in favor of the destination, with western European markets filling in for cancellations from Russia and Ukraine as they relaxed Covid travel restrictions.
9. Philippines
Insider Monkey Score: 7
No. of Tourists in 2022: 2.65 million
The Philippines, an enchanting Southeast Asian archipelago, entices global travelers with its pristine beaches, lush scenery, and vibrant culture. The Philippines has been hailed the World’s Leading Dive Destination and the World’s Leading Beach Destination for 2022, besting all other countries at the 29th World Travel Awards Grand Final Gala Ceremony held in Muscat, Oman.
8. Cuba
Insider Monkey Score: 8
No. of Tourists in 2022: 1.7 million
It’s easy to be awestruck by pictures of Cuban beaches. The water is clear and turquoise, and the sand looks so soft and warm you can already feel it under your toes.
Cuba’s tourism industry is gradually recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic, which dealt a big blow to an economy already reeling from U.S. economic sanctions. This year, 3.5 million tourists are expected to visit the Caribbean nation, marking a steady recovery towards the pre-pandemic levels of nearly 4 million foreign visitors a year.
7. Indonesia
Insider Monkey Score: 8
No. of Tourists in 2022: 5.47 million
From the idyllic beaches of Bali to the cultural richness of Yogyakarta, and the wild adventures in Komodo Island, the Indonesian archipelago offers a diverse range of experiences.
Bali has been experiencing a significant economic growth boost thanks to the surge in tourism. The sector contributes over 60% to the province’s GDP and supports roughly 58,000 jobs.
6. Mexico
Insider Monkey Score: 8
No. of Tourists in 2022: 38.3 million
With its pristine shoreline, colorful culture, and close proximity to the United States, it’s no surprise that Mexico ranks among the Top Beach Holiday Destinations in the world.
Found on the Yucatan Peninsula on the Caribbean Sea, Cancun is one of the most visited beaches in the world. With direct flights from many U.S. cities, Cancun is an easy long-weekend getaway, and a trip can be catered to various demographics, including families, couples, and groups.
5. Italy
Insider Monkey Score: 9
No. of Tourists in 2022: 74.7 million
Italy has 4,723 miles of coastline, dotted with some of the most beautiful beaches and seaside towns in the entire world. The country’s beach economy generates up to $37.5 billion in a good year. The Sindacato Italiano Balneari, the trade group representing the beach businesses, is quick to point out that its 30,000 members contribute billions to the Italian economy, while employing over 100,000 people.
Italy’s island region of Sardinia, with its gleaming turquoise waters and pearl white glittery sands, offers some of the Best Beaches in Europe.
4. Brazil
Insider Monkey Score: 11
No. of Tourists in 2022: 3.63 million
Brazilians love beaches just as much as the English love tea, and this is very understandable because the South American country boasts over 2,000 different beaches along its 4,600 miles of coastline.
A bill being considered in the Brazilian legislature with a controversial provision to dedicate portions of Brazil’s beaches to private sector tourism development is being met with some resistance. Under Brazil’s constitution, all beaches are required to be open to the public.
Located near Fernando de Noronha, the Baía do Sancho is the top beach in the world, according to a 2023 ranking from Tripadvisor.
3. United States of America
Insider Monkey Score: 13
No. of Tourists in 2022: 51 million
The United States is home to a diverse array of stunning beaches along its vast coastlines. From the picturesque shores of Hawaii to the charming beaches of the East Coast, the country offers a range of options to its beach-goers.
Florida is a popular beach holiday destination in the U.S. The Sunshine State’s beaches and near shore coastal waters draw more than 33 million tourists to Florida every year, contributing over $56 billion to the economy.
2. Australia
Insider Monkey Score: 16
No. of Tourists in 2022: Over 2 million
Australia has over 16,000 miles of coastline, and almost 80% Australians live within sixty miles from one of the nation’s 12,000 beaches – If you visited one beach per day, it would take more than 32 years to see them all.
Australians are enthusiastic travelers and love to explore their own backyard. Increased domestic demand during the pandemic has continued, and in 2022, overnight and day trip spending by domestic tourists surpassed pre-pandemic levels.
1. Greece
Insider Monkey Score: 17
No. of Tourists in 2022: 29.88 million
The Greek islands have long been a sun worshiper’s paradise. Besides the heavenly sands and turquoise waters, the islands offer ancient sites, intriguing museums, and peaceful small-town life.
The Greek tourism sector stands to gain from the total $54 billion in funding from the country’s national recovery and resilience plan. Investments in tourism with particular focus on health and wellness as well as spa tourism, gastronomy and diving tourism, port upgrades, beach accessibility, and special training and upskilling programs for tourism sector employees are areas expected to receive funding under the national recovery plan.
Greece is the Country with the Best Beaches in the World in our list.
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Disclosure: None. 25 Countries with the Best Beaches is originally published on Insider Monkey.
