Analytics, Baltic States – CIS, EU – Baltic States, Rating, Tourism

The regional ranking of Estonia among 42 European states was 20th.

The World Economic Forum produces the Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Report, which ranks 140 countries according to their attractiveness and ability to develop their travel and tourism industries, every two years time.

Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Report 2013 lists Estonia on the 30th position after Cyprus and before the Czech Republic and Greece.

The top positions in the list belong to Switzerland, Germany and Austria. Switzerland led the list two years ago too.

Table: The Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Index 2013 and 2011 comparison

This edition of the Report comes at an uncertain time for the T&T sector. Although the global economy is showing signs of fragile recovery, the world is becoming increasingly complex and interconnected. In this context, it is notable that the T&T sector has remained remarkably resilient in a number of ways. The number of travelers has increased consistently over the past year, notwithstanding the difficult economic climate and shrinking budgets. Indeed, the UNWTO reports that international tourist arrivals grew by 4 percent in 2012, and forecasts that they will continue to increase by 3 percent to 4 percent in 2013. Although this trend is primarily driven by increasing demand from the emerging-market middle class, the picture has also been brightening for many developed economies.