Sri Lanka has been ranked among the world’s 10 fastest-improving travel and tourism economies in the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) Travel & Tourism Development Index (TTDI) 2026.
According to the latest index, Sri Lanka recorded a 4.3% improvement in its TTDI score between 2024 and 2026, placing the country 10th among the economies with the largest improvements during the period.
Albania recorded the largest improvement, with a 7% increase, followed by Viet Nam at 6.3%, Laos at 6.1%, Qatar at 6%, Malaysia at 5.8%, Thailand at 5.6%, the Philippines and Morocco at 5.5% each, Nepal at 5.1% and Sri Lanka at 4.3%.
The World Economic Forum noted that emerging tourism economies, particularly across the Asia-Pacific and Middle East and North Africa regions, are gaining ground as tourism development conditions improve. Asia-Pacific accounted for seven of the 10 fastest-improving performers in the 2026 index.
Global Travel and Tourism Development Shows Broad Improvement
The 2026 TTDI assessed 110 economies, of which 101, or 92%, improved their scores between 2024 and 2026. The global average TTDI score increased by 2.1%, representing the fastest pace of improvement since 2019.
The WEF reported improvements particularly in areas such as cultural attractions, tourism infrastructure and services, air connectivity and business travel. However, the report also highlights continuing challenges related to affordability, investment, workforce capacity and sustainability.
The TTDI measures the factors and policies that enable the sustainable and resilient development of the travel and tourism sector. It does not directly measure tourism performance indicators such as visitor arrivals, tourism spending or tourism revenue.
What Does the TTDI Measure?
The 2026 Travel & Tourism Development Index consists of five dimensions and 17 pillars, covering 102 individual indicators.
These include:
- Business Environment
- Safety and Security
- Health and Hygiene
- Human Resources and Labour Market
- ICT Readiness
- Prioritization of Travel and Tourism
- Openness to Travel and Tourism
- Price Competitiveness
- Air Transport Infrastructure
- Ground and Port Infrastructure
- Tourist Services and Infrastructure
- Natural Resources
- Cultural Resources
- Non-Leisure Resources
- Environmental Sustainability
- Travel and Tourism Socioeconomic Impact
- Travel and Tourism Demand Sustainability
The index combines quantitative data from international and other sources with information collected through the World Economic Forum’s Executive Opinion Survey. The 2026 results reflect the latest available data collected up to May 2026.
Japan Leads the Global Ranking
Japan was ranked the world’s top travel and tourism economy in the 2026 TTDI, followed by the United States, Spain, Australia and France.
Germany, the United Kingdom, China, Switzerland and Italy completed the top 10.
The WEF noted that advanced economies continue to perform strongly due to factors including established tourism sectors, extensive infrastructure, international connectivity and developed business and visitor services.
International Tourism Reaches Record Levels
The improvement in tourism development conditions comes amid continued growth in international travel.
According to the World Economic Forum, international tourist arrivals reached a record 1.5 billion in 2025, representing a 5% increase from 2024 and 4.4% above 2019 levels.
The global travel and tourism sector also generated a record US$11.6 trillion in total economic contribution in 2025 and supported approximately 366 million jobs worldwide, according to the WEF.
At the same time, the WEF highlighted challenges facing the sector, including rising costs, investment gaps, workforce shortages and sustainability pressures.
Sri Lanka’s inclusion among the 10 fastest-improving economies in the 2026 TTDI reflects the country’s progress in the conditions supporting travel and tourism development between 2024 and 2026.
Interested in Investing in Sri Lanka’s Tourism Sector?
As Sri Lanka continues to strengthen its travel and tourism competitiveness, new opportunities are emerging across the country’s tourism and related sectors. If you are an investor or business looking to explore opportunities in Sri Lanka, DPR Investment Consultants can support you throughout your investment journey — from understanding the investment environment to establishing and expanding your business.
For more information, contact us at info@srilankainvestment.com or visit our Contact Us page to get in touch with our team.
