India ranks 39th in latest Travel and Tourism Development Index 

In the latest Travel and Tourism Development Index (TTDI) report for 2024, published by the World Economic Forum (WEF), India has climbed to the 39^th position among 119 countries. This marks a significant improvement from its previous rank of 54^th in the 2021 index. However, due to a revision in WEF’s methodology, India’s 2021 rank was adjusted to 38th place, providing a more accurate comparison. 

The United States has achieved a notable distinction by being named the world’s best country for travel and tourism in 2024 by the WEF, with Spain, Japan, France, and Australia rounding out the top five. 

The rankings are based on various criteria, including infrastructure, natural resources, sustainability, labor availability, and competitive pricing. Among these, India has shown progress in three key areas: Prioritization of Travel & Tourism, Safety & Security, and Health & Hygiene. 

According to the UNWTO barometer for May 2024, there were 975 million international tourist arrivals globally in 2022. India welcomed 14.3 million passengers, representing 1.47% of the international inbound tourism market. Within the Asia & Pacific region, India accounted for 15.66% of international tourist arrivals in 2022. 

Some of the factors driving India’s strong performance were its widespread natural resources (on which it ranked 6^th), and cultural and non-leisure resources, on which India ranked 9^th. The index, created in close accordance with the University of Surrey, ranked India highly for price competitiveness (18^th), air transport (26^th), and ground and port infrastructure (25^th). Remarkably, India is one of only three nations to secure a top 10 ranking across all resource pillars, the WEF said. 

The WEF stated that international tourist arrivals and the travel and tourism sector’s contribution to global GDP can be expected to surge and touch pre-pandemic levels, with demand surging for travel globally. This soaring interest can particularly be seen in the form of an increase in international travelers, which will provide a shot in the arm to the global travel and tourism industry.