Measuring tourism – evidence-based and transformative

The Destination Development Index (DDI) is more than a benchmarking tool – it is a strategic analytical instrument that enables regional comparisons within a country and identifies concrete fields of action. Developed in close collaboration with local stakeholders and tailored to national contexts, the DDI delivers measurable insights for targeted investments, sustainable transformation, and effective tourism governance.

Overview

The Destination Development Index is an innovative analysis and benchmarking tool that systematically captures and compares the development status of travel destinations within a country. Based on the internationally recognised Travel & Tourism Development Index (TTDI) of the World Economic Forum and adapted to national contexts, the DDI supports tourism decision-makers in formulating evidence-based development strategies, measuring progress, and steering development efforts effectively.

It is a consultancy-based approach tailored to the specific framework conditions of a country, region, or destination. The selection and weighting of indicators is context-sensitive to ensure meaningful and sustainable responses to local development goals.

 

Objectives

  • Establish comparability: Compare regions and destinations within a country using consistent indicators
  • Identify strengths and weaknesses: Detailed analysis of competitiveness, sustainability, infrastructure, and governance
  • Support strategy development: Provide a solid foundation for policy decisions, investments, and support programmes
  • Accompany transformation: Highlight sustainability, resilience, and inclusion as core dimensions of tourism development
  • Enable monitoring: Track long-term progress and the impact of existing policies at the sub-national level

 

Approach / Methodology

The DDI is built on equally weighted dimensions and has a range of indicators. The methodology combines qualitative and quantitative data collected through surveys, official statistics, and digital sources, processed within a standardised scoring system. The data analysis allows for a destination ranking and an in-depth evaluation of individual dimensions (e.g. environmental sustainability, digital infrastructure, tourism demand distribution).

The DDI is implemented through a consultative process in close cooperation with local partners. The methodology is always adapted to the country or region's political, structural, and tourism-specific characteristics to maximise the relevance and applicability of the results.

 

Reference Project – Vietnam Tourism Development Index

The Vietnam Tourism Development Index was developed in 2019, inspired by the Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Index of the World Economic Forum. Initially, the model was piloted in five provinces by Kai Partale on behalf of DT Global with support from the EU, and expanded to 15 provinces in 2021. In 2023, implementation was scaled up to 30 provinces under the mandate of Helvetas with support from SECO – marking a significant milestone in the instrument’s development.

The results have served as a basis for strategic development planning, policy reform, and more sustainable tourism management. Broad stakeholder participation, including ministries, tourism authorities, and the private sector, ensured its relevance, acceptance, and impact.

Link to VTDI 2024 Results (original in Vietnamese – browser translation required)

Suitable for

  • National tourism ministries and agencies
  • Regional development agencies and destination management organisations
  • International development projects and tourism sector support programmes
  • Countries with federal or decentralised governance structures


We are happy to help you define your specific advisory needs and develop a concept tailored to your destination’s context.

Person of contact

Dipl.-Geogr. Kai Partale
Information via e-mail