Tourists at the Merlion Park in Singapore. Photo by AFP
Singapore has been named the best country for culture and tourism in Southeast Asia in a 2026 ranking compiled by U.S. News & World Report in partnership with the University of Pennsylvania.
Singapore, the world’s second-richest country by GDP per capita in 2025 after Switzerland, ranked 22nd globally among 100 countries and territories in the tourism and culture rankings, which were based on an equally weighted average of two subcategories: global influence and heritage and cultural attractions.
Unlike previous editions of the rankings, this year’s list abandoned the perception-based method of surveying experts and business leaders in favor of a data-driven methodology.
In Southeast Asia, Malaysia ranked second, followed by Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines.
Globally, the U.S. was named the best country for tourism, followed by Switzerland and the U.K.
Singapore’s tourism receipts reached a record S$32.8 billion (US$25.84 billion) in 2025, up 10% from the previous year, while international visitor arrivals climbed to 16.9 million, The Straits Times reported.
The city-state expects arrivals to increase further in 2026 to between 17 million and 18 million visitors, with tourism receipts forecast at between S$31 billion and S$32.5 billion.
