Tourism ministry to identify key areas behind low world ranking

NEW DELHI: Concerned with the country’s low ranking in the global travel and tourism index (TTDI) over the years, the ministry of tourism is set to launch an exercise to conduct a gap analysis and identify the key areas in which India is lagging. During the process, it will also identify and develop indicator-wise action plans. It has planned to set up a project monitoring unit (PMU) for the purpose. The division will also communicate and follow up with the concerned ministries or departments to ensure performance improvement in TTDI.

According to the officials, besides monitoring TTDI as per NITI Aayog mandates, the PMU will guide, assist, and help in the tourist destination assessment. Providing assistance to different research studies to be carried out on the behalf of by the ministry and follow-up actions will also be the job profile of the proposed unit. The division will prepare mid-term or short-term action plans and interventions with prime focus on improving India’s rank in 2023 index. It will also work out a long-term action plan aiming at improvement in 2025 ranking.

TTDI, a biennial travel and tourism study, is a flagship index of the World Economic Forum. It serves as a strategic benchmarking tool for policy-makers, companies and complementary sectors to advance the future development of the travel and tourism sector by providing unique insights into the strengths and development areas of each country or economy.

India slipped to 54th place in 2021 TTDI, released in May, from 46th in 2019. Despite losing ranks, the country was on the top within South Asia. Japan was ranked at first place in the chart followed by the United States (US), Spain, France, Germany, Switzerland, Australia, UK, Singapore and Italy in the top 10.

Reports say that India ranks 33rd in the arena of better air infrastructure, 28th for port infrastructure. It has international openness ranked at 51st, natural resources ranked at 14th and cultural resources ranked at 8th place. India has advanced in many arenas such as business environment, overall T&T policy, enabling conditions, infrastructure, and information and communications technology. 

The ministry has invited bids from empanelled agencies to set up the unit. The unit will need to prepare status /analytical reports of the progress of work done with respect to each index required for monthly meetings of the Sectoral Group of Secretaries and for other meetings related to the improvement of the performance of India’s ranking as per need, said the ministry officials.

Ministry’s project monitoring unit
During the process, it will also identify and develop indicator wise action plans. It has planned to set up a project monitoring unit for the purpose. The division will also communicate and follow up with the concerned ministries or departments to ensure performance improvement in TTDI.