In this article, we are going to discuss the top 5 most beautiful island countries in the world. If you want to check out our detailed analysis of the global tourism industry, the revival of the tourism sector, the importance of cruise tourism, and online travel booking platforms, head to Top 20 Most Beautiful Island Countries in the World.
5. Fiji
Insider Monkey Score: 10
No. of Tourists in 2022: 636,312
No. of Tourists in 2019: 969,000
Percentage Change in the No. of Tourists Post-Covid: -34.3%
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.
After an estimated rebound of 15.6% in 2022, the South Pacific nation’s economy is set to grow by an average of 6.8% in 2023-24 as tourism recovers and domestic consumption remains strong.
4. Saint Lucia
Insider Monkey Score: 12
No. of Tourists in 2022: 737,000
No. of Tourists in 2019: 1 million
Percentage Change in the No. of Tourists Post-Covid: -26.3%
Bananas were Saint Lucia’s largest source of income for decades, but this has been overtaken by tourism, which now accounts for 65% of the country’s GDP. In 2022, around 737,000 tourists visited the exotic Caribbean destination, which shows a substantial increase from the nearly 302,000 recorded in 2021.
But Saint Lucia isn’t only a hub for tourism. The country is abundant in natural resources, with great scope for developing these in sustainable and eco-friendly ways. In 2021, the World Bank approved a $21.9 million loan for developing the renewable energy sector in Saint Lucia.
3. French Polynesia
Insider Monkey Score: 15
No. of Tourists in 2022: 260,000
No. of Tourists in 2019: 300,000
Percentage Change in the No. of Tourists Post-Covid: -%13.3%
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.
French Polynesia says it is to cap visitor numbers as part of a sustainability plan.The islands have proposed an annual cap of 280,000 tourists which came about as part of a strategy to market Tahiti, Bora Bora, and the other islands as a destination for high value, small scale tourism. Part of Fāri’ira’a Manihini 2027, the five-year plan focuses on boutique tourism and slow travel. The strategy tackles areas including air travel, cruise, and eco-tourism.
2. Seychelles
Insider Monkey Score: 15
No. of Tourists in 2022: 334,552
No. of Tourists in 2019: 428,000
Percentage Change in the No. of Tourists Post-Covid: -21.8%
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. In 2022, Europe continued to dominate the visitor arrival figures, with Germany leading the way at 44,772 visitors, followed by France with 44,503, and Russia in third place with 31,180.
1. Maldives
Insider Monkey Score: 16
No. of Tourists in 2022: 1.68 million
No. of Tourists in 2019: 2 million
Percentage Change in the No. of Tourists Post-Covid: -16%
Maldives once again secured the title of the World’s Leading Destination (among several other accolades) at the 2022 World Travel Awards, globally recognised as the hallmark of industry excellence.
The Covid-19 pandemic pushed the Maldivian economy into the abyss and real GDP contracted by 33.4% in 2020 as tourism was frozen for the rest of that year. Under normal circumstances, tourism usually accounts for more than 80% of the country’s current account revenues and this explains why the Maldives were among the countries most affected by the pandemic fallout in Asia. The two following years, GDP growth sharply rebounded – +41.7% and +12.3% respectively – as tourism gradually recovered thanks to the lifted mobility and border restrictions. As the figures of the first quarter of 2023 show, tourism arrivals have now returned to pre-Covid levels and are expected to keep GDP growth at high levels this year – +7.2%.
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