India Advances to 31st Rank in WEF Travel & Tourism Development Index 2026

What happened

The World Economic Forum (WEF), in collaboration with Zurich Insurance Group, released the Travel & Tourism Development Index (TTDI) 2026 on September 25, 2026. The biennial report assessed tourism dynamics and competitiveness across 110 economies using a framework of 5 dimensions, 17 pillars, and 102 indicators.

India achieved the 31st position globally, registering an overall score of 4.42 out of 7 points. This marks a 4.3% improvement in score and a nine-place jump from its recalculated 2024 position of 40th (and an eight-place rise from its originally published 2024 rank of 39th). With this advancement, India emerged as the top-ranked economy in South Asia and led all lower-middle-income economies.

India's upward trajectory was driven by highly cost-competitive travel, rich cultural resources, abundant natural assets, expanding business travel facilities, and improving air connectivity. In cultural assets, India ranked 9th globally, reflecting its position among the top 10 economies worldwide for UNESCO World Heritage cultural sites alongside China and Mexico.

On the global leaderboard, Japan secured the 1st position with a score of 5.27, followed by the United States in 2nd, Spain in 3rd, Australia in 4th, and France in 5th position. At the bottom of the index, Mali was ranked 110th with a score of 2.75. Across the entire index, travel and tourism conditions improved in 92% of the surveyed economies (101 out of 110) between 2024 and 2026.

India was also highlighted as part of a cohort of 10 major emerging non-high-income tourism economies—which includes Brazil, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mexico, the Philippines, Thailand, Türkiye, and Vietnam—that collectively generate over 28% of global direct Travel & Tourism GDP.

📅 Important dates

📝 What candidates should do

• Note down India's exact rank (31st), previous rank (recalculated 40th / published 39th), and overall score (4.42/7) in your current affairs notebook under 'Reports and Indices'.
• Memorize the top country (Japan), the publishing partners (WEF and Zurich Insurance Group), and the total number of evaluated countries (110).
• Review static details of the World Economic Forum, including its headquarters in Cologny, Switzerland, and its other flagship publications.

🔍 PrepZen analysis

International indexes published by global institutions such as the World Economic Forum are frequent targets for factual questions in Banking (IBPS, SBI, RBI), SSC, and State PSC examinations. Questions typically focus on India's absolute rank, change in rank, overall score, top-ranking nations, and the institutional publisher.

For UPSC and regulatory body exams (like RBI Grade B), questions may also probe the composition of the index—including the 5 dimensions, 17 pillars, and 102 indicators—or India's sub-index performance, such as its 9th rank in cultural assets and its standing as the top economy in South Asia. Note the collaboration with Zurich Insurance Group, which examiners often use as a statement-based distractor.

✍️ Practice questions

❓ FAQs

Prepared by the PrepZen Editorial Team from official releases and verified reports, for exam preparation. Spotted an error? Write to prepzen.app@gmail.com.