India Jumps 9 Spots to 31st in WEF Travel & Tourism Index, Japan Tops

India has climbed nine places to 31st in the World Economic Forum’s 2026 Travel and Tourism Development Index, with Japan topping the global ranking, according to the report released Friday.

Japan was followed by the United States, Spain, Australia and France in the top five positions in the index, developed by the WEF in collaboration with Zurich Insurance Group.

The WEF said India’s rise was supported by a highly cost-competitive travel environment, rich cultural resources, abundant natural assets and well-distributed tourism demand. China, India and Mexico were also among the top 10 economies for the number of World Heritage cultural sites.

Rapid improvements in tourism infrastructure, cultural assets and business travel resources helped drive one of the largest gains among major tourism economies, the report said.

However, workforce skills, environmental sustainability and tourism infrastructure quality remain important constraints for India despite improvements in visitor services, according to the WEF.

Globally, travel and tourism conditions strengthened across most economies. The index showed that 101 of 110 ranked economies improved their scores between 2024 and 2026, while the average score increased 2.1 per cent, the fastest pace since 2019.

The WEF attributed the gains to improvements in cultural resources, tourism infrastructure and services, air connectivity and business travel. It said 92 per cent of economies had improved since 2024.

At the same time, destinations face challenges from rising costs, geopolitical and climate disruptions, workforce shortages and pressure on infrastructure and communities.

The report found that travel became less affordable in three out of four economies between 2024 and 2026. Tourism investment also failed to keep pace with rising demand, while labour shortages threatened further growth.

The WEF said stronger visitor numbers do not automatically result in better livelihoods or higher-quality jobs, particularly in destinations where tourism is highly seasonal. It called for greater investment in people and infrastructure and stronger public-private collaboration to create lasting value for communities, businesses and destinations.

These pressures are affecting destinations as travel demand continues to grow.