The World Economic Forum's Travel and Tourism Development Index 2024 annual report is out, and India is ranked 39th, the highest in South Asia and among other lower-middle-income economies. India's new ranking is a notable improvement from its 54th position in the 2021 index. It is important to note, however, that changes to the index parameters since the last 2021 report make direct comparisons difficult .
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According to the report, the United States tops the list, followed by Spain, Japan, France, Australia, Germany, United Kingdom, China, Italy and Switzerland (top 10 countries).Reason for ranking improvement
The first things that come to mind are India's rich cultural heritage, diverse landscapes, increasing investments in tourism infrastructure, efforts to improve the sustainability and security of travel and tourism . India's rise in the rankings reflects the country's growing appeal as a travel destination.
The index, created with the University of Surrey, ranks India top for price competitiveness (18th), air transport (26th) and land and port infrastructure (25th). Furthermore, according to the report, India is one of only three countries to rank among the top 10 in all resource pillars. For example, India's natural resources were ranked 6th, and cultural and non-recreational resources were ranked 9th.
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Despite a decline from 2019, India still performed well in sustainability of travel and tourism demand, driven by longer and more sustainable stays among inbound visitors.
India's overall Travel and Tourism Development Index (TTDI) score is 2.1% lower than in 2019. And if reports are to be believed, this is due to inflation world and supply problems. Its effect can be seen in travel and tourism in India. Price competition is declining and air transport and tourism services have not fully recovered to 2019 levels.
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The WEF said international tourist arrivals and the travel and tourism sector's contribution to global GDP are expected to return to pre-pandemic levels this year, now that COVID-19 travel restrictions are lifted and demand for travel is stronger. The renewed enthusiasm for travel is expected to lead to a significant resurgence in international tourist arrivals, providing a much-needed boost to the global travel and tourism industry.
