The U.S. was just named the best country in the world for culture and tourism

America may not have universal healthcare, functioning high-speed rail or a national consensus on literally anything but, according to a major new global ranking, it does have the best culture and tourism scene on the planet.

U.S. News & World Report just released its revamped 2026 Best Countries rankings, and while Switzerland claimed the number one overall spot, the United States landed at number one globally in the culture and tourism category.

After all, it’s hard to argue with a country that gave the world jazz, Beyoncé, the Grand Canyon, Dolly Parton, Yellowstone, Broadway, New Orleans, national parks, Taylor Swift, Hollywood, bagels and the deeply specific cultural institution known as road-trip gas station snacks.

For this year, the rankings got a major overhaul. Instead of relying mostly on international perception surveys, the 2026 edition introduced a more data-heavy methodology that evaluated 100 countries across eight categories tied to national well-being, including governance, Infrastructure, health, economic development and culture and tourism.

The U.S. ultimately ranked number 18 overall—held back by weaker scores in categories like health (#33), infrastructure (#39) and civic health (#41). But when it came to culture and tourism, America apparently steamrolled the competition. (Switzerland came in second for culture and tourism, followed by the United Kingdom, Germany and France.)

According to the report, North America dominated the culture and tourism rankings because of “the size and scale of its market reach,” though the U.S. specifically was praised for its massive global cultural footprint through music, movies, television and media. The country overview also points to America’s cultural diversity, shaped by generations of immigration and reflected in its literature, art and music scenes.

And to be fair, few countries can compete with the sheer variety packed into one place. The U.S. contains Arctic tundra, tropical beaches, deserts, wine country, giant mountain ranges, theme parks, iconic cities and countless different regional arguments about who makes the best barbecue.

So while Switzerland may officially be the “best country” overall in 2026, America remains the undisputed heavyweight champion of turning culture into a global export—and then selling tickets to it.