The Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Report 2013

1.1: The Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Index 2013
Figure 3: T&T competitiveness and tourism receipts
Log of international tourism receipts, US$ millions (2011)
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also in the top 10. This is perhaps not surprising given
the importance of the sector for their economies. This
standing is borne out not only by high government
expenditure on the sector but also by a holistic approach
in supporting the sector that includes strong destinationmarketing
campaigns and country-level presence at key
international tourism fairs.
The air transport infrastructure pillar is led by
Canada and the United States, with the United Arab
Emirates coming in 3rd, indicating the country’s growing
relevance as international air transport hub. Australia,
the United Kingdom, and Hong Kong follow. These
economies are either vast areas that require a strong
domestic air transport to connect them, or they are
international centers. They are all characterized by the
presence of important airport hubs, several flights per
capita and a high number of operating airlines, and highquality
service.
The best ground transport infrastructure is found
in Hong Kong, Singapore, and Switzerland. All three
have high-quality roads, railroads, and ports, and all
are also characterized by ground transport networks
that work together seamlessly. Travelers in these
economies can get from one place to another without
hassle or complication, increasing their attractiveness as
destinations.
The tourism infrastructure pillar is dominated at
the very top by European countries, topped by Austria
and Italy, which are tied at 1st place, while Greece is
ranked 3rd; the remainder of the top 10 includes Spain,
Switzerland, and Croatia. Visitors to these countries have
many hotels to choose from, excellent car rental facilities,
and many ATMs for withdrawing cash. In other words,
12 | The Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Report 2013
Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Index scores, 2013
visitors have choices in how they visit, travel, and move
around in these countries, and they have the necessary
facilities for a comfortable stay.
The ICT infrastructure pillar is increasingly dominated
by Asian economies. Korea and Hong Kong are the
leaders, with Sweden in 3rd place, with high penetration
rates of ICTs and a good use of the Internet for business
transactions. Japan and Singapore are another two
Asian economies in the top 10. The availability of strong
ICT infrastructure is becoming more and more important
for the general economy as well as for the T&T industries
in these economies, which have become increasingly
dependent on such tools for reservations, marketing,
and distribution.
The price competitiveness pillar is topped by Iran,
Brunei Darussalam, and Gambia, which all benefit from
low fuel costs and low ticket taxes and airport charges.
Gambia also offers the most competitive hotel prices
in the assessment. Also in the top 10 appear countries
such as Malaysia and Indonesia, which offer tourists
good value for the money they spend.
Switzerland, Singapore, and Iceland once again
hold the top three spots in the human resources pillar.
These countries have strong educational systems as well
as top-notch training facilities and healthy workforces. In
addition, they are characterized by flexible labor markets
and significant ease in hiring foreign labor, which makes
it much easier to manage the seasonal hiring that is so
critical for the T&T industry.
The countries with the top three assessments for
the affinity for Travel & Tourism are Lebanon, Barbados,
and Hong Kong. All three display great openness
to foreign travelers, and their business communities
© 2013 World Economic Forum