India rises nine places to 31st in WEF’s 2026 travel and tourism index
India ranked 31st among 110 economies in the World Economic Forum’s 2026 Travel & Tourism Development Index, up from 39th in 2024. The report cites gains in infrastructure, cultural assets and business-travel resources, while flagging skills and sustainability gaps.
What happened
World Economic Forum · India rose nine places to 31st in the WEF’s 2026 Travel & Tourism Development Index, aided by stronger infrastructure, cultural assets
Key facts
- India ranked 31st among 110 economies in WEF TTDI 2026
- India rose 9 places from 39th among 119 economies in 2024
- Japan ranked 1st
- 101 of 110 economies improved their scores
- Average global score rose 2.1%
What changed
India rose nine places to 31st in the WEF’s 2026 Travel & Tourism Development Index, aided by stronger infrastructure, cultural assets and business-travel resources. The report flags workforce skills, sustainability and infrastructure as areas needing further improvement.
Why this matters
India’s nine-place tourism ranking gain signals stronger footfall potential around airports, cultural hubs and business-travel corridors, though operators should plan for uneven service skills and sustainability infrastructure.
What to watch
- Foreign tourist arrivals, domestic air passenger volumes and hotel occupancy/ADR trends by destination.
- New airport capacity, rail connectivity, visa facilitation and convention-center openings.
- MICE calendars, international events and airline route additions to major Indian cities.
- Tourism spending per visitor, airport retail sales and card-spend growth in destination districts.
- Online reviews and repeat-visit indicators tied to cleanliness, safety, last-mile transport and service quality.