Which countries are the most expensive for tourists?

With travel and tourism an indispensable generator of much-needed revenue, attracting large numbers of tourists is a key aim for economies around the world. While price is only one of the factors determining where people choose to visit for their holidays, it’s obviously an important one. So which country is the most expensive destination for tourists?

One measure can be found in the World Economic Forum’s Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report 2015, which assesses 141 economies on a range of factors linked to their tourism industries.

In the report, price competitiveness is calculated based on ticket taxes and airport charges, hotel price index, purchasing power parity and fuel prices.

Switzerland emerges as the most expensive destination for tourists, with the UK and France close behind in second and third places. Other European nations take many of the other top spots, including Norway, Denmark, Sweden and Italy.

The price competitiveness data is compiled from a number of sources, including the International Air Transport Association, Deloitte–STR Global and Smith Travel Research Inc. and the World Bank, World Development Indicators.

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Author: Paul Muggeridge is Head of Content at Formative Content.

Image: An aircraft flies over the skyline of Sao Paulo, Brazil, August 11, 2015. REUTERS/Paulo Whitaker