|
Dubai: The World Economic Forum (WEF) has ranked the UAE 18th among 124 countries in its first annual Travel and Tourism Competitive Index (TTCI).
The UAE, which is becoming more popular as a vacation spot, scored 5.09 out of seven, beating all other Gulf countries, industry reports said.
Among the sub-indexes that determined the ranking, the UAE was ranked best in human, cultural and natural resources, and it was ranked third in national perception of tourism. The UAE took 10th position globally in safety and security, resulting in being considered safer than the UK at 44th and the US at 45th.
"With its very diverse population, tourism in a sense has become a way of life in the UAE," said Abdullah Al Harbi, chief executive officer of Eye of Dubai, a tourism and investment guidebook. "The WEF has recognised the country's positive national perception of tourism."
The UAE's ranking will not only impact tourists but also investments. "The WEF has indicated that travel and tourism are critical factors for economic growth," Al Harbi said.
WEF reported that the travel and tourism industry accounted for 8.2 per cent of employment in 2006, and 10.3 per cent of GDP worldwide, a result of a boom in international travel with a 6.5 per cent annual growth over the past 55 years.
The new index measured government policies and other factors that attract business investments to the travel and tourism sector.
The WEF considered data on regulatory framework; business environment and infrastructure; and human, cultural and natural resources for ranking the countries.
|
