SL slumps 13 places in WEF’s latest Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Report

• Only country to record a decline in competitiveness in South Asia
• Overall score also declines to 3.7 in 2019 from 3.8 in 2017
• SL ranked poorly on effectiveness of marketing and branding to attract tourists

Sri Lanka has slumped 13 places to be ranked 77th out of 140 countries in the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) latest Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Report published under the theme of ‘Travel and Tourism at a Tipping Point’.

The biennial report highlighted that Sri Lanka was the only country that had recorded a decline in competitiveness in the South Asian region, while the South Asian sub-region emerged as the most improved sub-region in the Asia Pacific.

“Sri Lanka is the only country to decrease in competitiveness (64th to 77th) in South Asia due to falls in business environment (50th to 79th), international openness (67th to 100th) and natural resources (31st to 43rd). 

In particular, increased visa requirements (16th to 50th) have hindered openness, while natural area protection numbers show a lower percentage of territorial coverage (39th to 112th), reducing the advantage of natural assets,” the report authors pointed out.

Sri Lanka’s overall score also declined to 3.7 in 2019 from 3.8 in 2017.

However, Sri Lanka remained as the best performing nation in terms of safety & security as well as health & hygiene in South Asia. 

The country was also one of the most expensive in South-East Asia and South Asia after Bangladesh and Singapore, in particular due to high-ticket taxes and airport charges.
Sri Lanka’s ticket taxes and airport charges were ranked as 8th most expensive among 140 countries. 

However, the government recently reduced airport charges and introduced free-visa for selected countries in an attempt lure tourists to the country in the aftermath of Easter Sunday attacks. 

Sri Lanka was also ranked poorly in terms of effectiveness of marketing and branding to attract tourists. The country’s ranking in these criteria declined to 66th position from 45 in 2017. 
As Sri Lanka tourism shifted to new tagline and new brand logo at the end of last year, the country’s ranking in brand strategy jumped to 15th place from 43rd in 2017. 

Despite the overall decline in rankings, Sri Lanka’s ranking in tourist service infrastructure and cultural resources and business travel marginally improved while scores in ICT readiness, environmental sustainability, air transport infrastructure and tourist service infrastructure also marginally increased. 

The Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Report is a flagship product of the WEF’s Platform for Shaping the Future of Mobility, which brings together world leaders to ensure travel and transportation systems meet 21st century demands. 

This report serves as a strategic benchmarking tool for policy-makers, companies and complementary sectors to advance the future development of the travel and tourism sector by providing unique insights into the strengths and development areas of each country to enhance  industry competitiveness.