Pakistan has been placed 101st out of 119 countries in the Travel and Tourism Development Index (TTDI) released by the World Economic Forum (WEF). This ranking places Pakistan slightly ahead of Nepal (105) and Bangladesh (109) in South-East Asia, but significantly lower than India (39) and Sri Lanka (76).
The TTDI is an integral part of the WEF’s efforts to foster a more sustainable, inclusive, and resilient future for economies and local communities worldwide. Pakistan, classified as a lower-middle-income economy, falls within the Asia-Pacific regional group.
In the Middle East region, the United Arab Emirates leads the rankings at 18, followed by Saudi Arabia (41), Qatar (53), and Bahrain (18). Globally, the United States occupies the top spot, followed by Spain, Japan, and France. The top ten also include Australia, Germany, the United Kingdom, China, Italy, and Switzerland. The report notes that the top 30 countries in the TTDI account for over 75% of the travel and tourism industry GDP in 2022, and 70% of GDP growth between 2020 and 2022, with the lower half predominantly consisting of African nations.
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Countries at the forefront of the TTDI rankings are lauded for their conducive business environments, open travel policies, well-established transport infrastructure, and diverse natural and cultural attractions.
The TTDI, developed in collaboration with the University of Surrey and informed by inputs from leading travel and tourism stakeholders, assesses the factors and policies facilitating sustainable and resilient travel and tourism development. Despite signs of recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic, challenges persist within the industry, including global inflation, conflict, and environmental issues such as wildfires affecting tourist destinations. Geopolitical tensions, macroeconomic uncertainties, and potential challenges arising from artificial intelligence are anticipated to impact the sector in the years ahead. While developing economies like Pakistan have shown improvement in TTDI scores, continued investment in tourism infrastructure is deemed necessary to enhance tourism conditions.
