May 21, 2024 (MLN): Pakistan has ranked 101st in the World Economic Forum's (WEF) Travel & Tourism Development Index 2024, an improvement of 20 ranks as compared to 2019.
The report scored the country 3.41 out of 7, with a 3.6% improvement since 2019.
Based on per capita income classifications, Pakistan has been classified as a lower-middle-income economy and part of the Asia-Pacific regional group in the Travel and Tourism Development Index (TTDI) 2024.
The Asia-Pacific region ranked as the second highest performer among regions. Out of the 19 constituent economies covered by the TTDI, 10 surpass the index average, and 11 economies have seen an improvement in their scores since 2019
Meanwhile, countries topping the 2024 list of economies are the United States, Spain, Japan, France, and Australia.
The Middle East had the highest recovery rates in international tourist arrivals (20% above the 2019 level), while Europe, Africa, and the Americas all showed a strong recovery of around 90% in 2023.
Speaking on the occasion, Amir Jahangir, Chief Executive Officer of Mishal Pakistan and the Country Partner Institute of the World Economic Forum said, “Pakistan’s scores identify the struggling efforts done by the institutional efforts in the country,” as APP reported.
“Institutions like the Pakistan Tourism Development Authority and its team have made significant efforts in making Pakistan a more attractive and affordable tourism destination,” he added.
He further said, “The efforts of the World Bank have been pivotal in supporting integrated tourism in the country”.
Jahangir said that the collective efforts put in by PTDC and other institutions along with the World Bank have brought the stakeholders on a single platform and successfully created public policy dialogues.
This is enabling the provinces to learn best practices from each other.
The initiatives under PTDC on the National Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Index (NTTCI) have enabled a structure of institutional learning.
This is impacting the improvement of Pakistan’s rankings manifold. The data from the National Index can further improve rankings if the international travel and tourism data are reflected in the national and provincial strategies.
A more competitive environment between the provinces can also improve the competitiveness propositions offered by the tourism industry across the nation, ultimately expanding choices for the citizens and attracting international tourists for unique tourism experiences.
Pakistan’s positive performance on the Travel & Tourism Development Index (TTDI) between 2019 and 2024 is part of a broader trend where low to middle-income economies have shown significant enhancement in performance on the TTDI, with these economies accounting for much of the above-average improvements in scores in various regions.
Pakistan's advancement on the index signifies a positive trajectory in its tourism sector, indicating potential growth and readiness for future opportunities in the travel and tourism market.
Comparatively, Pakistan's TTDI score places it above countries like Nepal, and Bangladesh in South Asia.
However, it trails behind higher-ranked countries in the region such as India, and Srilanka, which have higher scores across most TTDI pillars.
Pakistan's high seasonality of international tourist arrivals reflects the country's appeal as a travel destination, but infrastructure and enabling conditions for tourism development remain areas needing improvement.
The government's prioritization of tourism and ongoing efforts to enhance safety, security, and health and hygiene standards are crucial for advancing Pakistan's tourism industry.
Mishal Pakistan is Pakistan’s leading strategic communication and design company.
It is a multi-year award winning strategic planning company and the Country Partner Institute of the World Economic Forum.
Mishal generates primary data on more than 200 indicators measuring Pakistan’s growth and competitiveness and the foremost domain of activity is behavior change communication, strategic communication with a spotlight on media and perception management.
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Posted on: 2024-05-21T16:16:26+05:00
