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The World Economic Forum (WEF) released its 2021 Travel and Tourism Development Index on Tuesday, titled “Building Back for a Sustainable and Resilient Future”. The report assesses 117 economies based on “a range of factors and policies that promote sustainable and resilient development of the tourism (T&T) sector, which in turn contributes to a nation’s development.”
Pakistan has risen six places, from 89th in 2019 to 83rd in WEF T&T Index 2022.
However, it has become the number one region in South Asia. Usually, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka are the countries that make up the region.
Japan ranked No. 1 in the global rankings, followed by the US, Spain, France, and Germany in the top five.
Switzerland, Australia, Great Britain, Singapore, and Italy are fifth to tenth in the series.
Pakistan has risen six places, from 89th in 2019 to 83rd in WEF T&T Index 2022.
WEF 2021 Tourism and Tourism Development Index: India slips 8 places to 54, Pakistan slips 6; Japan emerges as major tourism hub Source: World Economic Forum, (WEF)
It is worth noting that in this year’s tourism index, the top 10 countries with the exception of the United States are all high-income economies from Europe or the Asia-Pacific region.
The World Economic Forum’s biennial travel and tourism study shows that tourism is recovering from the lowest levels of the pandemic, but the recovery is uneven and remains a challenge.
Lauren Obbink, Director of Aviation, Travel, and Tourism at the World Economic Forum WEF said: “The COVID-19 lockdown has once again demonstrated the important contribution of travel and tourism to many of the world’s economies.”
“As the world emerges from the pandemic, economies must invest in a strong and resilient environment to deliver travel, tourism, and service experiences for decades to come,” Obanke added.
Compared with January 2021, the increase in international tourist arrivals in January 2022 outpaced the overall increase in 2021, according to the World Tourism Organization.
Despite some positive trends, the industry still faces many challenges, including the uneven distribution of vaccines, capacity constraints, labor shortages, supply chain disruptions, and more.
“Government, business, and civil society leaders can address barriers to recovery by considering a variety of factors that can support the long-term development and resilience of their travel and tourism economies,” Obanke added.
Vietnam’s overall index ranking has improved significantly from 60th in 2019 to 52nd in 2022. Indonesia also rose from 44th to 32nd and Saudi Arabia from 43rd to 33rd.
Since 2019, Europe was the only region to see a drop in the average score. Geographic tensions and the coronavirus wave appear to have destroyed the overall lead.
Sub-Saharan Africa fared better, but the region still has a long way to go.
The pandemic has exposed the importance of tourism to the global economy, the report said. He stressed that countries must prioritize improving hygiene and safety to ensure the sustainability of the industry.
Since 2017, Saba Ghani has been serving as the talented and dedicated chief content writer for Pakistan Tour and Travel & EMHI Solutions. With her exceptional writing skills and in-depth knowledge of the travel industry, she has been instrumental in crafting engaging and informative content that captivates the audience. You can catch her at [email protected] or Twitter
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