Overall, international tourism and business travel is still below pre-pandemic levels. (representative)
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India was ranked 54th in a global travel and tourism development index on Tuesday, down from 46th in 2019, but still topped South Asia.
Japan tops the global charts, followed by the US, Spain, France, Germany, Switzerland, Australia, UK, Singapore and Italy in the top ten.
The World Economic Forum’s biennial travel and tourism study also showed an industry recovering from pandemic lows, although the recovery has been uneven and challenges remain.
The Travel and Tourism Development Index assesses 117 economies and identifies key factors that enable the sustainable and resilient growth of travel and tourism economies.
“Shutdowns from COVID-19 have re-emphasized the significant contribution that travel and tourism make to many economies around the world,” said Lauren Uppink, head of Aviation, Travel and Tourism at the World Economic Forum.
“As the world emerges from the pandemic, economies must invest in building a strong and resilient environment to provide the travel and tourism experience and services for decades to come,” Ms Uppink added.
While overall international tourism and business travel is still below pre-pandemic levels, the sector’s recovery has been supported by higher vaccination rates, return to more open travel and growing demand for domestic and wildlife tourism. Many companies and destinations have adapted to these changing demand dynamics.
According to estimates, the difference in international tourist arrivals between January 2021 and January 2022 is greater than the growth in arrivals throughout 2021.
Aside from the US, the top ten economies are the high-income economies in Europe or Asia-Pacific.
The Travel and Tourism Development Index 2021 is a direct evolution of the Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Index, which has been published biennially for the past 15 years, according to WEF.
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