India ranked 34th on world travel, tourism competitiveness index: Report - Pragnya IAS Academy - News Analysis.

India ranked 34th on world travel, tourism competitiveness index: Report.

India's ranking improved from 40th to 34th, the greatest improvement over 2017 among the top 25 per cent of all countries ranked in the report

India has moved up six places to rank 34th on world travel and tourism competitiveness index, driven by rich natural and cultural resources and strong price competitiveness, a WEF report said on Wednesday.
India's ranking improved from 40th to 34th, the greatest improvement over 2017 among the top 25 per cent of all countries ranked in the report.
"India, which accounts for the majority of South Asia's T&T (travel and tourism) GDP, remains the sub-region's most competitive T&T economy, moving up six places to rank 34th globally," the report said.
As per the report, China, Mexico, Malaysia, Thailand, Brazil and India -- which are not high-income economies but rank in the top 35 in the overall list -- stand out in the Cultural Resources and Business Travel Pillar through their combination of rich natural and cultural resources and strong price competitiveness.
"India showed the greatest percentage improvement to its overall Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Index (TTCI) score, which has helped it become the only lower-middle income country in the top 35," the report said and lauded its natural and cultural assets and price competitiveness.
From a sub-regional perspective, the nation (India) has better air infrastructure (33rd) and ground and port infrastructure (28th), international openness (51st) and natural (14th) and cultural resources (8th).
Compared to global benchmarks, the country can also add price competitiveness (13th) to its roster of strengths, the report noted.
"India also greatly improved its business environment (89th to 39th), overall T&T policy and enabling conditions (79th to 69th), infrastructure (58th to 55th) and information and communications technology (ICT) readiness (112th to 105th)," it noted.
However, India still needs to enhance its enabling environment (98th), tourist service infrastructure (109th) and environmental sustainability (128th), the report said.
The Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Index (TTCI), that covered 140 economies, measures the set of factors and policies that enable sustainable development of travel and tourism sector which contributes to the development and competitiveness of a country.
Spain held on to the top spot in the World Economic Forum's (WEF) latest Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report (TTCR), which ranked 140 countries on their relative strengths in global tourism and travel. Spain was followed by France, Germany and Japan, with the United States replacing the UK in the top five.

Others in the top 10 list include the United Kingdom at the 6th place, Australia (7th), Italy (8th), Canada (9th) and Switzerland (10th).
The report further added that Asia-Pacific was one of the fastest-growing travel and tourism regions in this year's ranking.
Japan remains Asia's most competitive travel and tourism economy, ranking 4th globally, while China is by far the largest travel and tourism economy in Asia-Pacific and 13th most competitive globally (up two spots).
The Philippines has shown improvement, moving up four places to rank 75 globally.
Pakistan (121st) remains the least competitive country in South Asia when it comes to T&T, including the region's least favourable safety and security (134th) conditions.
The biennial study showed resilient growth in travel and tourism sector, with scores rising in most countries, but also warned of an approaching 'tipping point', where factors like less expensive travel and fewer tourist barriers increase demand to unsustainable levels.
"Countries must look beyond their short-term gains from travel and tourism to ensure a positive future for their economies. Travel and tourism can drive economies, but only if policy-makers ensure proper management of their tourism assets, which requires a holistic, multistakeholder approach," said Lauren Uppink, Head of Aviation, Travel and Tourism at WEF.
The 140 economies were ranked in four sub-indexes: enabling environment, travel and tourism policy and enabling conditions, infrastructure, and natural and cultural resources. Together, these four sub-indexes include a total of 14 pillars, which are used to score a country's overall travel and tourism competitiveness. (Source: The business standard)


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India ranked 34th on world travel, tourism competitiveness index: Report.

Tourism Awards:Ahmedabad best heritage city, Qutub Minar best monument for differently-abled - Pragnya IAS Academy - News Analysis.

Tourism Awards:Ahmedabad best heritage city, Qutub Minar best monument for differently-abled.

UNESCO World Heritage City Ahmedabad and Mandu were Thursday jointly declared as the 'Best Heritage City', while Qutub Minar bagged the top award in the differently-abled friendly monument category at the National Tourism Awards here.

The awards were presented by Union Tourism Minister K J Alphons at a ceremony held at the Vigyan Bhavan.
India's first World Heritage City Ahmedabad is well-known for Indo-Islamic monumental art and architecture, intricately carved wooden havelis.
Founded by Sultan Ahmed Shah in 1411 on pre-existing sites of Ashawal and Karnavati, the city was encompassed by massive brick fortification on banks of Sabarmati.
"Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation is a pioneer in people-centric urban conservation since 1996, with establishment of the first heritage cell in India. This has led to awareness creation, framing of heritage regulations, conservation and restoration of invaluable heritage buildings," the citation for the city read.
Mandu, an ancient city in Madhya Pradesh, was also bestowed the 'Best Heritage City' award. The citation described the city as a "celebration in stone of life and joy".
"Each of Mandu's structures is an architectural gem. The glory of Mandu lives on, in its palaces and mosques in legends and songs, chronicled for posterity... Serious efforts have been consistently made by the authorities and local people to ensure conservation and cleanliness of Mandu's vivid heritage," it said.
ASI's Qutub Minar won the best maintained, differently-abled friendly monument award.
Qutbu'd-Din Aibak laid the foundation of the Minar in AD 1199, to which subsequent additions were made by his successor Iltutmish and Firoz Shah Tughlak. The 73-metre tower has five distinct storeys, each marked by a projecting balcony.
The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) at Qutub Minar has made best possible efforts to provide amenities to the differently-abled at a World Heritage Site.
In the 'Best Heritage Walk' category, INTACH Heritage Walks Delhi chapter and 'Indore Heritage Walk' were jointly declared as winners.
"INTACH Heritage Walks introduces citizens as well as tourists to different aspects of monuments and neighbourhoods of rich cultural and architectural heritage," the citation read.
Lauding the Indore Heritage Walk, the citation read: It is an effort towards conserving, renovating and promoting the rich heritage of Indore.
"It aims to offer the visitors, an exciting and fascinating urban heritage experience. The walk encapsulates the vivacious history of Indore and helps to connect the tourists with its heritage, culture, architecture, food and traditions," the citation read.
In 'Most Innovative & Unique Tourism Product' 21 Gun Salute International Vintage Car Really and Concourse Show' and 'Coral Safari' of Chennai were declared as joint winners.
21 Gun Salute rally is a "unique motoring event", and promotes India as a heritage motoring tourism destination.
'Coral Safari', Chennai operates semi-submarine under water safari which is a complete family adventure trip into the ocean to explore the underwater magnificence of Andaman & Nicobar Islands, the citation read. (Source: The Business Standard)


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Tourism Awards:Ahmedabad best heritage city, Qutub Minar best monument for differently-abled.

International tourism arrivals hit record high in 2017, India leads growth in South Asia: UN report - Pragnya IAS Academy - News Analysis.

International tourism arrivals hit record high in 2017, India leads growth in South Asia: UN report.

Europe and Africa led the regions with increases in arrivals, with growth of eight per cent and nine per cent, respectively.

The number of people travelling abroad hit record levels in 2017 with a total of 1,323 million international tourist arrivals recorded in destinations around the world, with India leading the growth in the South Asian region, according to data from the UN’s tourism organisation.
The latest edition of its Tourism Highlights shows international arrivals reached 1.323 million last year. The figure represents an 84 million increase over 2016, and a new record, with the sector also recording “uninterrupted growth” in arrivals for eight consecutive years.
Europe and Africa led the regions with increases in arrivals, with growth of eight per cent and nine per cent, respectively.
The UN World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO, a specialized agency of the United Nations, added that tourism is the world’s third largest export category, earning USD 1.3 trillion in receipts in 2017: an increase of five per cent.
Meanwhile, total exports from international tourism stood at USD 1.6 trillion, or an average of USD 4 billion a day: that is, seven per cent of the world’s exports.
“These strong 2017 results were driven by sustained travel demand for destinations across all world regions, including a firm recovery by those that have suffered from security challenges in recent years,” The UNWTO said in a press release.
The report said positive results in South Asia were largely driven by the strong performance of India, the “subregion’s largest destination, which benefited from increasing demand from western source markets and simpler visa procedures.”
In India, international tourists arrivals grew from 14.57 million in 2016 to 15.54 million in 2017. International tourism receipts for India grew from 22.42 billion dollars in 2016 to 27.36 billion dollars last year.
For South Asia as a whole, international tourists arrivals grew from 25.17 million in 2016 to 26.57 million in 2017. International tourism receipts for South Asia grew from 33.28 billion dollars in 2016 to 39.52 billion dollars last year.
It said that international tourist arrivals grew 6.8% in 2017, the highest increase since the 2009 global economic crisis and well above UNWTO’s long-term forecast of 3.8% per year for the period 2010 to 2020. Results were driven by sustained travel demand for destinations across all world regions, including a firm recovery of those suffering from security challenges in recent years.
Growth was fuelled by the global economic upswing, resulting in strong outbound demand from virtually all source markets.
“The recovery of outbound demand from Brazil and the Russian Federation after a few years of decline and the ongoing rise of India, also contributed to inbound growth in many destinations,” the UN agency said.
Seven of the 10 top tourism destinations are also leaders worldwide in both international tourist arrivals and international tourism receipts: China, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom and the United States.
“Strong outbound demand from virtually all source markets, including rebounds from major emerging economies Brazil and the Russian Federation, benefited both advanced and emerging destinations,” the agency said.(Source: The Indian Express)


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International tourism arrivals hit record high in 2017, India leads growth in South Asia: UN report