India ranked at the 54th place in a global travel and tourism development index, down from 46th in 2019, but still remained on the top within South Asia. Japan has topped the global charts, followed by the US, Spain, France, Germany, Switzerland, Austraila, UK, Singapore and Italy in the top ten.

The World Economic Forum’s biennial travel and tourism study also showed a recovering sector following pandemic lows, though the recovery has been uneven and challenges remain. The Travel and Tourism Development Index assesses 117 economies, identifying key factors in enabling the sustainable and resilient growth of travel and tourism economies.

“COVID-19 shutdowns have re-emphasised the important contribution travel and tourism makes to many economies around the world,” Lauren Uppink, Head of Aviation, Travel and Tourism at the World Economic Forum, said.

“As the world emerges from the pandemic, economies must invest in building a strong and resilient environment to deliver the travel and tourism experience and services for many decades to come,” Uppink added.