According to "TTCI 2007", Thailand benefits from a "very friendly" attitude towards tourists, ranking No 6 on that criterion, and the sector is "prioritised by the government", ranking No 6 on that factor. These rankings are similar to those of Malaysia. Thailand is also given high marks in destination-marketing campaigns and its presence at major international travel and tourism fairs.

However, important weaknesses remain, particularly regarding the quality of transport and the general tourism infrastructure, both of which remain relatively underdeveloped, according to the index.

Switzerland, Austria and Germany have the most attractive environments for developing the travel and tourism industry, according to the first ranking of its kind, released by the World Economic Forum this week. Iceland, the US, Hong Kong, Canada, Singapore, Luxembourg and the UK complete the top-10 list.

"Our study is not a 'beauty contest', or a statement about the attractiveness of a country. On the contrary, we aim to measure the factors that make it attractive to develop the travel and tourism industry of individual countries," said Jennifer Blanke, senior economist of the World Economic Forum's Global Competitiveness Network.

The rankings are based on an index covering 124 countries around the world. The TTCI uses a combination of data from publicly available sources, international institutions and experts.

The index is based on what the forum calls 13 "pillars of travel and tourism competitiveness", including policy rules and regulations, environmental regulation, safety and security, air-transport infrastructure, tourism infrastructure and natural and cultural resources.

"Showing the full economic impact of the sector in the index will enhance travel and tourism's relevance for policy-makers," said Geoffrey Lipman, assistant secretary-general of the World Tourism Organisation (WTO). "The index makes clear that, although industrialised states currently dominate, poorer countries have a massive potential to be the leading force in international tourism."

Jean-Claude Baumgarten, president of the World Travel Tourism Council, said the index would encourage governments to understand the importance of travel and tourism, and create an economic environment that would help this economic activity create entrepreneurs, jobs and careers. It will also stimulate the public and private sectors to play leading roles in the issues the world is facing in terms of environmental, social and cultural challenges.

"The Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report 2007 is designed for any executive looking to grow in global markets - with a specific focus on emerging markets. Facts from this report will allow industry to effectively and efficiently engage governments in creating blueprints for sustainable and viable travel and tourism industry development," said Thea Chiesa, Head of Aviation, Travel and Tourism at the World Economic Forum.

The World Economic Forum has been actively engaged in studying issues related to national competitiveness for nearly three decades. Given the importance of the travel and tourism industry to the world economy, the objective of the TTCI is to explore the factors driving travel and tourism competitiveness worldwide.