India Ranks 39th on WEF's Travel & Tourism Development Index 2024

23 May 2024

On 21st May, 2024, India climbed to 39th place on the World Economic Forum’s Travel & Tourism Development Index 2024, marking a return to pre-pandemic tourism levels globally.

Key Points

Improved Ranking: India's rank on the index rises from 54th in 2021 to 39th in 2024, positioning it as the highest-ranked country in South Asia and among lower-middle-income economies.
Top Countries: The US leads the list, followed by Spain, Japan, France, and Australia, showcasing the recovery of global tourism activities.
Index Parameters: Changes in index parameters limit comparability with previous years, impacting India's rank comparison.
Competitive Factors: India excels in price competitiveness (18th), Air Transport infrastructure (26th), and Ground and Port infrastructure (25th).
Resource Pillars: Strong natural, cultural, and non-leisure resources contribute to India's travel appeal, ranking among the top 10 in all resource pillars.
Sustainability: Despite a decline, India maintains sustainability in travel and tourism demand, especially with sustainable long stays among inbound visitors.
Challenges: India faces challenges in price competitiveness decline and incomplete recovery of air transport and tourist services infrastructure to 2019 levels, impacting the overall TTDI score.
Global Tourism Recovery: International tourist arrivals and the tourism sector's contribution to global GDP are expected to rebound to pre-pandemic levels in 2024, driven by lifted travel restrictions and pent-up demand.
Regional Recovery: The Middle East leads in international tourist arrivals recovery, while Europe, Africa, and the Americas show strong recovery rates in 2023.
Favorable Conditions: High-income economies in Europe and Asia-Pacific maintain favorable conditions for travel and tourism development, driven by conducive business environments, robust infrastructure, and diverse attractions.