May 25, 2015 TnH Global 0

India ranks 52nd on the Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Index 2015

Spain has ranked first among the countries in World Economic Forum’s Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Index 2015 rankings, followed by France and Germany.

According to World Economic Forum’s Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Index 2015, the Travel &Tourism industry continues to grow quickly, and has proven resilient to shocks. This edition of the TTCI covers 141 economies worldwide. T&T Competitiveness Index 2015 states that India’s natural resources (17th) are vast and diverse and its cultural resources (10th) include a unique intangible heritage (8th), sports events and a large entertainment offer. India’s relevance as business travel destination is increasing along with its economic growth; it remains a price-competitive destination (8th) and recent changes in its visa regime: not yet reflected in the data rankings—have the potential to boost international arrivals. However, longstanding infrastructure gaps remain, especially in tourism-specific infrastructure (109th) and the quality of roads. Despite some uneven progress, India also lags on health and hygiene (106th) and ICT readiness (114th). The safety and security situation is unsettling, with a perceived increase in the impact of crime and violence (97th), and India ranks only 139th for environmental sustainability.

Six European countries are among the top 10 of T&T Competitiveness Report 2015 rankings. Spain leads the rankings for the first time. It is the third most visited country in the world, with approximately 60.6 million arrivals.

France ranks 2nd overall and continues to attract the most tourists, with over 84 million arrivals. With its combination of rich history and attractions, ski resorts and coastlines, France ranks high in cultural (2nd) and natural (8th) resources. On environmental sustainability, France is ranked 23rd.

Switzerland takes 6th place, performing well across most of the T&T Competitiveness dimensions. Italy ranks 8th overall and 6th in Europe. The Russian Federation ranks 45th overall. Russian Federation ranks high on natural (4th) and cultural (10th) heritage sites.

The United States is the highest ranked country in the Americas and 4th globally. The US performs strongly in the Natural Resources pillar (3rd) and it also attracts tourists thanks to cultural, entertainment and sport attractions (13th).

Brazil ranks 28th overall and 1st in South America. The 2014 FIFA World Cup and upcoming 2016 Rio Olympic Games have led to significant investments in infrastructure and connectivity. Mexico is ranked 30th overall. Mexico ranks 8th and 6th, respectively, in terms of natural and cultural UNESCO World Heritage sites.

South-East Asia is where international arrivals have grown the most recently, thanks in part to being highly price competitive and rich in natural capital, and helped also by the rapid expansion of the middle class in surrounding areas.

Australia ranks 7th overall and top in the Asia-Pacific region, and has identified tourism as one of four national investment priorities. Japan is ranked 9th globally and 2nd in the Asia-Pacific. It welcomed over 10 million foreign tourists in 2013, a new record, bouncing back from a drop in arrivals in 2011.

Singapore ranks 11th in this TTCI edition. Its excellent business environment (1st) and high-quality human resources (3rd) are extremely conducive to the development of its Travel & Tourism industry, which is also a high national priority (4th).

China ranks 17th. Tourists are attracted to the country’s incredible cultural resources (4th) and natural resources (the country ranks third in World Heritage natural sites), while several international association meetings every year draw business visitors.

Indonesia ranks 50th overall while its growing tourism industry reaching over 8.8 million international visitors in 2014 thanks to national prioritization of the industry (15th) and continued investment in infrastructure.

The UAE leads the region and takes 24th place globally, welcoming over 10 million tourists in 2013. The UAE has built a unique environment to attract both business and leisure travelers.

Israel is ranked 72nd globally. The country performs well on ICT readiness (32nd), and on the Human Resources and the Labour Market pillar (39th), with especially good rankings on the Ease of finding skilled employees indicator (17th).