The UAE is first regionally and 18th globally in tourism and travel development
Dubai, May 21 / WAM / The UAE ranked first in the Middle East and North Africa region and 18th globally in the Travel and Tourism Development Index issued by the World Economic Forum.
According to the report issued today, the UAE raised its score by 4.4% in the 2024 index, rising 7 places from 25th place globally in the previous version of the report, which was issued in 2021.
The report classifies 119 economies according to a set of factors, and the index consists of five sub-indices, including the enabling environment, travel and tourism policy and enabling conditions, infrastructure and services, travel and tourism resources such as nature and culture, and the sustainability of the travel and tourism sector.
The index provides a strategic measurement tool for companies, governments, international organizations and others to develop the travel and tourism sector.
The United States topped the index, followed by Spain and Japan, so that the countries with the first three positions maintained their ranking as in the previous version of the report.
Among the high-income economies, only the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia ranked in the top ten that showed the most improvement in their results between 2019 and 2024.
The Middle East region witnessed the highest rates of recovery in the number of international tourist arrivals (20% above the 2019 level), while Europe, Africa and the Americas showed a strong recovery, recovering 90% of traffic in 2023 compared to before the Covid-19 pandemic.
“This year represents a turning point for the travel and tourism sector,” said Francisco Petti, head of the Global Industries Team at the World Economic Forum.
The report expected that the global tourism industry would recover from the lowest levels recorded by the Covid-19 pandemic and exceed the levels witnessed before the crisis, due to the significant increase in demand around the world, which coincided with more available flights, improved international openness, and increased tourism. Interest and investment in natural and cultural attractions.
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