World Tourism Forum Institute to launch groundbreaking Tourism Investment Index at Brussels Annual Meeting 2025 - Get updated on what's happening in tourism!

The Tourism Investment Index merges 18 critical indicators across four key pillars — tourism performance, economic strength, governance stability, and infrastructure readiness — into a single, comprehensive score. The result is an unparalleled resource for assessing 217 countries and their tourism investment potential.

Data-Driven Tourism Investment

The Tourism Investment Index merges 18 critical indicators across four key pillars — tourism performance, economic strength, governance stability, and infrastructure readiness — into a single, comprehensive score. The result is an unparalleled resource for assessing 217 countries and their tourism investment potential.

The Index will:

• Rank countries by their combined tourism and investment performance.
• Segment destinations into five distinct investment opportunity categories, from secure “Safe Bets” to high-return emerging markets.
• Highlight both global leaders and untapped destinations primed for transformation.

Five Clear Investment Categories

The framework offers investors an immediate, actionable guide to opportunity:

• Safe Investment Bets – High stability and strong tourism performance.
• High-Risk / High-Return Opportunities – Strong tourism, challenging context.
• Undervalued Markets – Weak tourism but strong economic fundamentals.
• Investment Bottlenecks – Potential blocked by a few key constraints.
• Betting on Zero – Weak in both areas; suited for long-term transformation plays.

Strategic Impact for the Global Tourism Economy

According to WTFI President Bulut Bağcı, the Index is more than a ranking — it’s a strategic tool to connect capital with opportunity in the tourism sector.

“This Index sets a new global standard in tourism business intelligence. By combining tourism data with investment fundamentals, we are giving governments and investors a clear roadmap for sustainable growth and high-impact projects,” said Bağcı.

The launch in Brussels will coincide with two days of high-level discussions, keynote speeches, and investment matchmaking sessions, attracting ministers, CEOs, and top decision-makers from across the globe.

Picture Credit: © World Tourism Forum Institute 2025