Safety and Security: Key Drivers of Tourism Development

Abstract

The global order is facing a series of systemic crises, including wars, political polarization, ecological disruptions, and pandemics. The tourism sector is particularly sensitive to the effects of these factors. Although destination choice and tourist arrivals are influenced by other factors (such as attractions, infrastructure, and economic development), safety and security are among the key determinants of tourism development and the competitiveness of tourist destinations.

The Travel & Tourism Development Index (TTDI) assesses the factors influencing the development of the tourism sector and ranks countries according to their capacity to develop tourism sustainably over the long term. One of the key pillars of this index is Safety and Security. The data suggest that countries with higher levels of safety and security tend to attract more tourists.

This paper focuses on the analysis of the Safety and Security pillar as a factor of Serbia's competitiveness in the international tourism market. According to the 2024 TTDI report, Serbia achieved a score of 6.10 in the Safety and Security pillar, the highest among all pillars, and ranked 32nd out of 119 countries.