Sri Lanka has ranked among the 10 fastest-improving travel and tourism markets in the world between 2024 and 2026, according to the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) 2026 Travel & Tourism Development Index.
The country ranked 10th among the economies with the largest improvement, with its Travel & Tourism Development Index score rising by 4.33% over the two-year period.
The WEF released its latest index on September 25, covering 110 economies worldwide.
Tourism Development Score Rises 4.33%
The 4.33% increase was more than double the global average improvement of around 2.1% between 2024 and 2026.
Overall, 101 of the 110 economies, or 92%, improved their scores during the period.
The index measures the conditions that support travel and tourism development. These include tourism infrastructure, air connectivity, business conditions, digital readiness and tourism resources.
However, the TTDI does not directly measure tourist arrivals, tourism spending or tourism revenue.
Albania Leads Global Improvement
Albania recorded the largest improvement between 2024 and 2026, with its index score rising by 7.0%.
Vietnam ranked second with a 6.3% increase, while Laos recorded a 6.1% rise.
Other economies among the fastest improvers included Qatar, Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines, Morocco and Nepal.
The WEF said tourism development conditions have improved across most economies since 2024. The gains included areas such as cultural resources, tourism infrastructure, services and air connectivity.
At the same time, the report points to challenges from higher travel costs, investment gaps, workforce shortages and sustainability pressures.
The 4.33% increase places the country among the economies that recorded the fastest improvement in the conditions supporting travel and tourism during the latest two-year period.
Last modified: September 28, 2026
