The Countries Relying on Tourism the Most

Economies around the world have been hit hard by a dropoff in tourists over the past two-plus years since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, but some are more reliant on visitors and the dollars and jobs they create than others. Fortunately, travel is bouncing back in a big way this summer, which is excellent news for the destinations around the world that rely on tourism the most. A recent study conducted by the team of travel experts at luggage storage app Bounce reveals the countries and territories most reliant on tourism when it comes to its contribution to GDP and employment. Perhaps unsurprisingly, many of these tourist-friendly places have a lot in common, including phenomenal climates and quintessential vacation attractions like white-sand beaches and crystal clear waters.

With an overall tourism contribution of nearly 14 percent, Belize rounds out the top 10, narrowly edging out destinations such as Cambodia, Barbados and Fiji. Belize recently eased entry protocols for vaccinated travelers and is among the many global destinations to receive the World Travel & Tourism Council's (WTTC) Safe Travels stamp.

A unique destination boasting numerous one-of-a-kind experiences in the Mediterranean, Malta relies heavily on tourism, which accounts for more than 14 percent of GDP and 15.64 percent of employment for an overall contribution of 14.86 percent.

Vanuatu is an elite diving destination in the South Pacific Ocean famous for its vibrant coral reefs and fascinating shipwrecks dating back to World War II. Tourism contributes more than 18 percent to the nation's GDP and is responsible for more than 14 percent of employment.

Located off the western coast of Africa in the Atlantic Ocean, Cape Verde's economic success hinges on tourism, with visitation contributing 17.66 percent to GDP and 15.77 percent to local employment.

The Caribbean island country of Saint Lucia boasts the second-highest tourism contribution to employment at 27.3 percent. Nonetheless, tourism accounts for just 15.61 percent of the country's GDP, resulting in an average contribution of 21.45 percent.

The Bahamas trails only two other destinations when it comes to tourism's contribution to employment with visitors helping to create more than one-quarter of the country's jobs (26.48 percent). Tourism also accounts for nearly one-fifth of the country's GDP (19.23 percent).

Seychelles is one of two archipelagos located in the Indian Ocean to rank inside of the top five. Tourism accounts for more than one-quarter of the country's employment and GDP. Visitors often flock to these islands to experience their world-class beaches, coral reefs and nature reserves featuring rare animals.

The Maldives ranks third but has the highest percentage of tourism contribution to GDP at a whopping 38.92 percent. Tourism in the Maldives directly brings in over $1 billion annually, the study found.

Another sun-drenched tourist-friendly destination, the British Virgin Islands is unsurprisingly heavily reliant on visitors, with tourism directly accounting for nearly one-third (32.96 percent) of the territory's overall GDP.

Tourism accounts for more than 25 percent of the local economy in Aruba. According to Bounce's research, tourism contribution to GDP in the Caribbean island country comes in at 27.64 percent, and tourism contribution to employment is 29.91 percent.