The tourist destinations in Pakistan are finally beginning to get the attention and recognition that they deserve.
The country recently moved up six places on the International Travel and Tourism Development Index 2021. Titled “Rebuilding for a Sustainable and Resilient Future,” the report released by the World Economic Forum has ranked Pakistan 83rd on the list of 117 countries. Previously, the country occupied 89th place in the index.
“Six points increase in the ranking of Pakistan on global travel and tourism index is quite a significant progress and now Pakistan is among the countries in the Asia Pacific Region that have improved its ranking the most since 2019,” explained PTDC Managing Director Aftab-ur-Rehman Rana, according to a report published by a leading news outlet.
He also said that while the government has taken many steps to boost tourism in Pakistan over the last few years, the country still has a long way to go.
“Although we have made good progress, we still need to do a lot more to further enhance the performance of the tourism sector in Pakistan in coming years, which has huge potential to play a key role in the overall socio-economic development of Pakistan,” the PTDC managing director added.
It is also important to mention that Pakistan has beat several notable countries, including Kuwait, Nepal and Lebanon, in the latest edition of the international index.
What is the International Travel and Tourism Development Index?
The Travel & Tourism Development Index is an updated version of the Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Index. It is published every two years and measures “the set of factors and policies that enable the sustainable and resilient development of the Travel and Tourism (T&T) sector, which in turn contributes to the development of a country,” according to its official website.
This index offers governments, international organisations, businesses, and other entities a set of benchmarking tools that can be used to further develop the travel and tourism sector of a country. The report also features cross-country comparisons and records the progress of each country on various drivers of travel and tourism development.
In addition, the Travel & Tourism Development Index notes the policies and other decisions related to the development of the travel and tourism sector. This analysis can help governments and relevant authorities learn more about the areas in need of development and utilise their strengths to enhance the efforts for the long-term growth of the industry.
The index consists of five subindexes, which are further divided into 17 pillars comprising a total of 112 individual indicators. However, please note that the subindexes are only used for categorization and presentation and are not factored in the final calculation.
In the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, which deeply affected the tourism industry across the globe, the latest edition of the World Economic Forum report can play a substantial role in improving the policies and encouraging stakeholders to further develop the major tourist attractions in Pakistan.
The five sub-indexes along with their respective pillars are as follows:
- Enabling Environment: Business Environment, Safety and Security, Health and Hygiene, Human Resources and Labour Market, ICT Readiness
- Travel and Tourism Policy and Enabling Conditions: Prioritisation of travel and tourism, international openness, price competitiveness
- Infrastructure: Air transport infrastructure, ground and port infrastructure, tourist service infrastructure
- Travel and Tourism Demand Drivers: Natural resources, cultural resources, non-leisure resources
- Travel and Tourism Sustainability: Environmental sustainability, socioeconomic resilience and conditions, travel and tourism demand pressure and impact
Top 10 Countries on the Travel and Tourism Development Index 2021
These countries received the top scores on the International Travel and Tourism Development Index 2021.
- Japan
- United States
- Spain
- France
- Germany
- Switzerland
- Australia
- United Kingdom
- Singapore
- Italy
In other words, if you are planning to travel abroad for your vacation, you may want to consider visiting one of the countries mentioned above. However, if you plan on spending your holidays in the stunning northern areas of Pakistan, here are a few guides that you may find resourceful.
- Must-Visit Places in the Picturesque Galiyat Region
- The Most Beautiful Hill Stations in Pakistan
- How to Plan a Road Trip from Islamabad to Khunjerab Pass
- Top Beaches of Pakistan to Visit this Summer
Stay connected to Zameen Blog to learn more about the country’s ranking on the Travel and Tourism Development Index. You can also write to us at blog@zameen.com and visit our Facebook page for the latest information on the tourism sector of Pakistan.
