Sri Lanka has been listed among the 10 fastest-improving economies in the World Economic Forum's 2026 Travel & Tourism Development Index.
Sri Lanka's TTDI score increased by 4.3% between 2024 and 2026, placing it 10th among economies showing the largest percentage improvements over that period.
That distinction does not mean Sri Lanka is the world's 10th-highest-ranked tourism economy.
Sri Lanka's overall position in the 2026 index is 69th.
What the index measures
The World Economic Forum's Travel & Tourism Development Index evaluates the conditions and policies that enable sustainable and resilient travel and tourism development.
It covers 110 economies and assesses factors across 17 pillars, including areas such as infrastructure, air connectivity, enabling conditions, cultural and natural resources and sustainability.
The index is not a direct ranking of tourist arrivals, tourism revenue or visitor spending.
Improvement was widespread
The World Economic Forum reports that 92% of the 110 economies assessed improved their TTDI scores between 2024 and 2026.
The global average score also increased.
Sri Lanka's 4.3% improvement therefore represents a relatively rapid improvement within a broader global trend in which most assessed economies also advanced.
Japan holds the highest overall TTDI position in 2026.
Two different rankings
The distinction is important:
- 10th refers to Sri Lanka's position among the fastest-improving economies based on the change in score between 2024 and 2026.
- 69th refers to Sri Lanka's overall position in the 2026 TTDI.
The two figures measure different things and should not be conflated.