India's global travel & tourism index rank up at 39th: WEF index

India has risen to 39th place in the World Economic Forum's (WEF) Travel & Tourism Development Index (TTDI) 2024, with global tourism activities returning to pre-pandemic levels. The United States topped the list, followed by Spain, Japan, France, and Australia. India ranked highest in South Asia and among lower-middle-income economies, significantly improving from its 54th position in 2021 despite changes in the index parameters. The index, developed with the University of Surrey, highlights India's strong price competitiveness (18th) and robust infrastructure in Air Transport (26th) and Ground and Port (25th). Additionally, India's substantial Natural (6th), Cultural (9th), and non-Leisure (9th) Resources significantly drive travel, making it one of only three countries to score in the top 10 across all resource pillars.

Despite global inflationary trends affecting India’s price competitiveness and its air transport and tourist services infrastructure not yet fully recovering to 2019 levels, the country maintains a strong position in travel and tourism demand sustainability, particularly due to sustainable long stays among inbound visitors. High-income economies in Europe and Asia-Pacific continue to lead the TTDI, supported by conducive business environments, dynamic labour markets, and well-developed infrastructure. The WEF expects international tourist arrivals and the travel and tourism sector’s contribution to global GDP to return to pre-pandemic levels this year, driven by lifted travel restrictions and pent-up demand.

Disclaimer: This information has been collected through secondary research and IBEF is not responsible for any errors in the same.