Madrid: The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), in collaboration with Omran Group, on Tuesday launched its inaugural Power, Efficiency & Opportunity (PEO) Indices at WTM London, expanding how Travel & Tourism performance is measured by introducing a new framework that assesses the sector’s economic, environmental and social impact.
Developed by WTTC and Oxford Economics, the research assesses Travel & Tourism performance across 184 economies, looking beyond the traditional measures of visitor numbers and economic contribution to examine three interconnected dimensions: the sector’s economic power, how efficiently it uses resources and manages its environmental footprint, and the opportunities it creates for people.The new indices provide governments, investors and industry leaders with a more comprehensive way of evaluating Travel & Tourism performance, enabling them to benchmark destinations across a broader set of indicators, identify strengths and gaps, inform investment decisions and support more balanced and resilient growth.The Travel & Tourism Power Index measures the economic scale and influence of the sector through GDP, employment and investment.
The research shows that tourism power remains concentrated among a relatively small number of economies, with the top 20 performers accounting for 81% of global Travel & Tourism GDP in 2024.The United States, China and India rank as the world's most powerful Travel & Tourism economies, reflecting their scale, employment footprint and levels of tourism investment. Germany, France, the United Kingdom, Japan, Mexico, Spain and Saudi Arabia complete the global top 10.
The findings also reveal important differences across destinations, with some outperforming on investment or employment relative to their overall economic contribution, highlighting where future tourism growth potential may lie.However, the research demonstrates that economic scale alone does not determine wider tourism performance.
Countries leading on economic power do not necessarily lead on environmental efficiency or employment opportunity, underscoring the importance of considering all three dimensions together when assessing a destination's long-term competitiveness and resilience.
The Environmental Efficiency Index examines the environmental footprint of Travel & Tourism relative to the economic activity it generates, including greenhouse gas emissions, low-carbon energy use, water consumption, air pollution and materials use.One of the most significant findings is the marked improvement in environmental efficiency between 2019 and 2024. Globally, the sector's Environmental Efficiency score increased by 2.3 points, driven by progress across several indicators. The low-carbon energy component improved by 6.7 points, while greenhouse gas intensity improved by 3.9 points, providing evidence that many destinations are becoming less environmentally intensive as tourism grows.These results demonstrate that economic growth and sustainability can increasingly go hand in hand when supported by long-term policy choices, stronger environmental standards and investments in clean energy infrastructure. Sweden ranks first among high-income economies, while Costa Rica leads among upper-middle-income destinations, demonstrating that environmental leadership can emerge across different stages of development.
The Opportunity Index examines the sector's contribution to social development and inclusion through employment share, employment growth, youth employment and female employment. The findings reinforce Travel & Tourism's role as one of the world's most open entry points into employment, with strong performance recorded across economies at very different stages of development.
Croatia ranks first among high-income economies, while the Maldives leads the upper-middle-income group. El Salvador and The Gambia top the lower-middle-income and low-income categories, respectively.
The results highlight the sector's continued ability to create opportunities for women and young people, while providing a valuable entry point into formal employment and long-term careers.In destinations such as the Maldives, Grenada and Belize, Travel & Tourism supports a particularly significant share of national employment, underlining its importance as a driver of inclusive growth and economic opportunity.The three indices are designed to be considered together.
A destination may have significant economic power while having further opportunities to improve environmental efficiency or employment outcomes, while smaller destinations can demonstrate strong performance in areas that are not captured by economic scale alone.The research therefore provides a more complete picture of destination competitiveness and long-term resilience, helping governments, investors and industry leaders identify where policy, investment and infrastructure can have the greatest impact.
Gloria Guevara, President & CEO, WTTC, said:“Travel & Tourism is one of the world’s most powerful sectors, and these new Indices give us a broader and more holistic way to understand its impact. As the sector grows, we must focus on quality as well as quantity of growth. By assessing economic contribution, environmental efficiency and employment opportunities together, the Indices provide valuable insights to support sustainable growth and informed decision-making, while highlighting the sector’s ability to create opportunities for women and young people around the world.”
Eng. Ayad Al Balushi, CEO of Omran Group, said,“The PEO Indices represent an important step forward in how we define and measure tourism success, looking beyond growth to the efficiency, opportunity and lasting value the sector creates. Omran Group is proud to partner with WTTC in advancing this global perspective and supporting more informed decision-making across the sector. The findings reinforce our shared ambition to shape a future where tourism is economically strong, environmentally responsible and inclusive, creating meaningful and sustainable value for destinations, communities and future generations."
”The findings also have particular relevance for destinations such as Oman, where Travel & Tourism is playing an increasingly important role in economic diversification and long-term development.Compared with 2019, Oman’s 2024 PEO scores for Travel & Tourism Power, Environmental Efficiency and Employment Opportunities all improved, with the country demonstrating particularly strong performance in creating opportunities for people.
Women hold 28% of Travel & Tourism jobs, compared with 18% across the Middle East, making Oman a regional leader in female participation in the sector. The data also shows that young people account for 13% of tourism jobs, compared with less than 9% across the overall Omani economy, underlining the sector’s important role in creating opportunities for the next generation.The Oman findings also highlight the different factors behind this progress. Tourism Power has been supported by growth in GDP contribution and employment, while the country’s environmental performance reflects advances across areas including water use, air pollution and materials efficiency.
For Omran Group, the research provides a practical framework for understanding the relationship between tourism investment, destination development and long-term sustainability.
The partnership between WTTC and Omran reflects a shared commitment to using robust evidence to support better tourism decision-making and to ensuring that future growth delivers economic value while strengthening environmental performance and opportunities for local communities.
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