UAE Tops MENA In WEF's Travel And Tourism Development Index, Climbs Globally

The UAE has achieved a significant milestone by ranking first in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region and 18th globally in the World Economic Forum’s Travel & Tourism Development Index (TTDI). The latest report, released today, indicates that the UAE improved its score by 4.4 percent in the 2024 index, climbing seven places from its previous 25th global ranking in 2021.

The TTDI ranks 119 economies based on various factors. The index comprises five sub-indices: enabling environment, travel and tourism policy and infrastructure, infrastructure and services, travel and tourism resources such as nature and culture, and the sustainability of the travel and tourism sector. This index serves as a strategic benchmarking tool for companies, governments, international organisations, and others to develop the travel and tourism sector.

The United States topped the index, followed by Spain and Japan. These top three countries have maintained their rankings from the previous report. Among high-income economies, only the UAE and Saudi Arabia were ranked among the top ten that showed the most improvement in their performance between 2019 and 2024.

The Middle East witnessed the highest recovery rates in international tourist arrivals, exceeding 2019 levels by 20 percent. Europe, Africa, and the Americas also showed a strong rebound, regaining 90 percent of 2023 movement compared to pre-COVID-19 levels. This recovery is indicative of a broader resurgence in global tourism.

"This year represents a turning point for the travel and tourism sector," said Francisco Betti, Head of the Global Industries Team and Member of the Executive Committee at the World Economic Forum. The report anticipates that the global tourism industry will recover from its COVID-19 lows and surpass pre-crisis levels. This recovery is driven by a surge in demand worldwide, coinciding with more available air travel, improved international openness, and increased interest and investment in natural and cultural attractions.

Overall, these developments highlight significant progress in the travel and tourism sector globally, with notable advancements in the MENA region led by the UAE's impressive performance.

With inputs from WAM