2024-05-26 16:06:55
America has been named the world’s prime nation for journey and tourism for 2024 by the World Financial Discussion board (WEF).
The rating relies on a variety of standards, together with infrastructure, pure assets, sustainability, labor availability and aggressive costs. Greece didn’t make it into the highest ten, however is ranked twenty first out of 119 international locations.
The ranking of Greece
Greece scored 4.52 factors, in comparison with 4.40 factors within the two corresponding WEF surveys, in 2019 and 2021.
Its strongest performances are recorded in vacationer companies and infrastructure and in air transport. In these two areas it even manages to be within the prime ten on the earth.
Europe dominates
Six of the highest 10 international locations on the record are in Europe, with Spain garnering the best rating. The report calls the continent “a resilient vacation spot with robust intra-regional journey flows” and provides it excessive marks for rail connectivity.
The robust place of the euro and the pound and the probability of Europeans touring extra – which, in flip, means they spend cash – additionally give factors to the continent.
Not surprisingly, France scores extremely, coming in fourth place total. The nation is within the highlight this yr forward of the Paris Olympics.
One other issue to contemplate is the validity of many European passports. Yearly, the Henley Index ranks essentially the most highly effective passports on the earth and their information is included within the WEF report. For 2024, six international locations share the highest spot – France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Singapore and Spain. 5 of those nations seem within the WEF’s prime 10, with Singapore ranked thirteenth.
“In 2024, world tourism development is predicted to be boosted by continued demand satisfaction and development in main Asian markets following the lifting of journey restrictions after a delay in comparison with different areas,” the report mentioned.
Tourism increase in Japan – China can be on the rise
That is definitely the case in Japan, which is in third place this yr because it has skilled a tourism increase since reopening after the pandemic. Greater than three million overseas vacationers per thirty days selected Japan in each March and April 2024, with extra anticipated to go to in the course of the upcoming summer season holidays.
In the meantime, eighth-ranked China has made some strikes in latest months to make it simpler for vacationers to go to. In March, it lifted visa necessities for residents of a number of European international locations, together with Eire, Switzerland and the Netherlands.
It is also simpler than ever for People to go to China, as they not want to offer proof of lodge reservations to acquire a journey visa.
American magnificence
Whereas the US is the one North American nation within the prime 10, Canada is only one rung decrease, in eleventh place.
In response to the WEF, the US is a “mature” tourism market, that means it already has infrastructure in place to welcome guests, similar to air connections connecting cities and on-site help similar to tour guides, rental vehicles, lodge rooms and maps. .
The dimensions and scope of the US actually assist it stand out: from nationwide parks to large cities to nice seashores, there’s all kinds to supply vacationers.
Spain, Italy and hypertourism
Spain received second place. Nevertheless, many areas complain about over-tourism. Barcelona has voted to maintain cruise ships away from its centre, whereas residents of the Canary Islands have taken to the streets – and even threatened a starvation strike – to protest over-tourism.
Italy, in ninth place, additionally struggled to steadiness its booming tourism market with the wants of native communities.
Venice began charging an entrance price to vacationers final month.