UAE Ranks First Regionally and 18th Globally!

The UAE has secured the first position in the Middle East and North Africa region and the 18th position globally in the Travel and Tourism Development Index issued by the World Economic Forum. According to the report, the UAE increased its score by 4.4% in the 2024 index, rising 7 places from its previous 25th position in the 2021 report. The report ranks 119 economies based on a set of factors, and the index comprises five sub-indices, including enabling environment, travel and tourism policy, enabling conditions, infrastructure and services, and travel and tourism resources such as nature and culture, as well as the sustainability of the travel and tourism sector. The index provides a strategic measurement tool for businesses, governments, international organizations, and others to develop the travel and tourism sector. The United States topped the index, followed by Spain and Japan, with these three countries maintaining their rankings from the previous report. Among high-income economies, only the UAE and Saudi Arabia were ranked in the top ten, showing the greatest improvement in their results between 2019 and 2024.