New Delhi: The latest 2026 Travel & Tourism Development Index by the World Economic Forum suggests that travel and tourism conditions have strengthened across the world.
“But destinations face a growing challenge: turning record demand into lasting value amid rising costs, geopolitical and climate disruption, workforce shortages and mounting pressure on infrastructure and communities,” the report read.
It highlighted that travel and tourism development conditions are at their strongest since 2019.
The WEF index, developed in collaboration with Zurich Insurance Group, found that 101 of 110 ranked economies improved their scores between 2024 and 2026, with the average rising 2.1 per cent, the fastest pace since 2019.
“Gains were driven by increased cultural resources, tourism infrastructure and services, and air connectivity and business travel. Japan leads the Index, followed by the United States, Spain, Australia and France,” the report found.
India climbed nine spots to the 31st position. Whereas, Mali came last at 110. China was the only Asian nation in the Top 10, ranking eighth. No Middle Eastern nation ranked in the Top 20 category.
What are the challenges
The index also showed that tourism is facing growing challenges. Between 2024 and 2026, travel became less affordable in three out of four economies, while tourism investment failed to keep pace with rising demand and labour shortages threatened further growth.
However, the WEF report found that benefits for local communities also weakened during this period. It highlighted that more visitors do not automatically translate into better livelihoods or higher quality jobs, particularly in destinations where tourism is highly seasonal.
“The latest Travel & Tourism Development Index shows that the enabling conditions for travel and tourism are at their strongest since the pandemic, with 92 p of economies improving since 2024,” said Ramya Krishnaswamy, Head of Experience Economy and Cities at WEF in a statement.
According to Krishnaswamy, the next chapter is not simply about attracting more visitors, but about creating greater value by investing in tourism, infrastructure and stronger public-private collaboration so travel delivers lasting benefits for communities, businesses and destinations.
Despite these pressures, emerging tourism economies are gaining ground. Since 2019, the largest emerging economies have improved their TTDI scores more than twice as fast as the Top 20, with Asia-Pacific economies accounting for seven of the 10 fastest-improving performers. Albania recorded the largest overall gain between 2024 and 2026, and was named the most improved economy.
“Tourism is a major part of the global economy, and the TTDI makes clear that resilience is what keeps that value intact when conditions change,” said Cara Morton, CEO, Global Businesses and Operations, Zurich Insurance Group.
“That kind of resilience requires businesses and governments to take responsibility together,” Morton added.
(Edited by Insha Jalil Waziri)