Trinidad & Tobago among the Top Ten Unfriendly Tourist Destinations in the World

Trinidad and Tobago has been named among the top ten least tourist-friendly nations in the world, according to the World Economic Forum's "Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report" for 2013. This country was ranked the eighth least-tourist-friendly destination on the planet.

Under the theme "Reducing Barriers to Economic Growth and Job Creation", The Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Report 2013 assessed 140 economies worldwide, based on the extent to which they are putting in place the factors and policies to make it attractive to develop the travel and tourism sector, the World Economic Forum's website, www.weforum.org, stated on Wednesday.

The countries were ranked according to 14 pillars, including safety and security, health and hygiene, and natural resources.

Out of the 140 countries ranked, Trinidad and Tobago placed 133. On the other end of the spectrum, Barbados placed second in the same category. Jamaica was 27th. Lebanon was ranked number one while Venezuela ranked last.

Haiti was ranked 135 in the affinity for travel and tourism category and was therefore the sixth least tourist-friendly nation in the world. The top ten least tourist-friendly nations were: Venezuela, Bolivia, the Russian Federation, Algeria, Pakistan, Haiti, Chad, Trinidad and Tobago, Kuwait and Sierra Leone.  

Of the 14 categories considered, this country's highest placing was 13 out of 140 for "price competitiveness in the travel and tourism industry". In terms of "safety and security", the country ranked 105 out of 140. The Express was unable to reach Tourism Minster Stephen Cadiz for a comment on the country's top-ten ranking for being a least tourist-friendly nation on Wednesday.