India’s ranking in the World Economic Forum’s Global Travel & Tourism Index rises to 39th place

India has made significant strides in the global travel and tourism sector, with its rank on the World Economic Forum’s Travel & Tourism Development Index 2024 rising to 39th place. This improvement comes as global tourism activities return to pre-pandemic levels, according to the annual report released on Tuesday.

The United States topped the list, but India stands out as the highest-ranked country in South Asia and among the lower-middle-income economies, as per the WEF. In the previous index published in 2021, India was ranked 54th, although changes to the index parameters limit direct comparisons to earlier years.

The index, developed in collaboration with the University of Surrey, highlighted India’s strengths in price competitiveness, competitive air transport infrastructure, and ground and port infrastructure. The country also excels in natural, cultural, and non-leisure resources, driving travel and tourism.

Despite a decline compared to 2019, India still performs well in travel and tourism demand sustainability, particularly due to sustainable long stays among inbound visitors. However, global inflationary supply-side trends have impacted travel and tourism enabling conditions in India, with price competitiveness decreasing and infrastructure yet to fully recover to 2019 levels.

Overall, high-income economies in Europe and the Asia-Pacific region continue to lead the index, with Germany ranking 6th, followed by the UK, China, Italy, and Switzerland in the top ten. The results underscore the favorable conditions for travel and tourism development in high-income economies, driven by conducive business environments, dynamic labor markets, open travel policies, strong infrastructure, and diverse attractions.