India has climbed to the 39th position in the World Economic Forum’s latest “Travel & Tourism Development Index 2024” as travel improves post-pandemic.
The United States (US) led the rankings and India was the top performer in South Asia and among lower-middle-income countries, an annual report said on Tuesday.
India was ranked 54th in 2021, but changes in index criteria limit its direct comparison with 2022 and 2023.
Features Spain, Japan, France and Australia are the top four countries on the list for 2024 in that order.
According to the index, compiled in collaboration with the UK-based University of Surrey, India is highly cost competitive (18th) and has competitive air transport (26th) as well as land and port (25th) infrastructure.
India’s strong natural (6th), cultural (9th) and non-leisure (9th) resources contribute to its travel appeal, with the country one of only three to secure a top 10 ranking in all resource pillars, the WEF said.
Despite the decline compared to 2019, India is still performing well in terms of travel and tourism demand sustainability, particularly due to the increased incidence of sustainable long-term stays among inbound visitors.
Like other countries, the Indian tourism industry has felt the impact of global inflationary trends on the supply side. This led to a decline in price competitiveness, while the recovery of air transport infrastructure and tourism services did not reach the level seen in 2019.
TTDI Overall Score in India
The country’s overall Travel and Tourism Development Index (TTDI) score is 2.1 percent lower than in 2019. The index is led by high-income economies in Europe and the Asia-Pacific region.
Rate of return on international tourist arrivals
West Asia showed the highest rate of recovery in international tourist arrivals, surpassing 2019 levels by 20 percent, while Europe, Africa and the Americas showed a strong recovery of around 90 percent in 2023.
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The biennial index showed the travel and tourism industries of 119 countries across a spectrum of factors and policies. Germany secured 6th place, followed by the UK, China, Italy and Switzerland in the top ten ranking.
The findings underscored that high-income economies tend to maintain more favorable conditions for travel and tourism development. This was attributed to a favorable business environment, dynamic labor markets, open travel policies, robust transport and tourism infrastructure as well as well-developed natural, cultural and non-recreational attractions.
