Context: Recently, the ‘Dharamshala Declaration 2022’ was released at a three-day national conference on tourism which affirms commitment toward developing “sustainable and responsible tourism” and positions India as a “global leader in the tourism sector by 2047”.

About The National Tourism Conference 2022

• The Conference was organised by the Ministry of Tourism (at Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh) to discuss issues related to development of tourism in the country.

• The Conference holds significance in the current context of India’s G20 presidency (in 2023). G-20 will be used as a platform to showcase India’s tourism potential to the world.

Ambitious goals for tourism sector

• Recovery to the pre-pandemic level by 2024

• $250 billion contribution to the GDP by 2030

• World leader by 2047

• A long-term revenue goal of $1 trillion by 2047

Important Initiatives to promote tourism

• West Bengal: With Durga Puja getting a place on UNESCO list of intangible cultural heritage, Indian Government has made a provision for puja passes for foreign travellers, to give them quick access to the pandals, skipping long queues.

• Jammu and Kashmir: promoting destinations beyond Srinagar and Gulmarg.

• Incentives for films where more than 50 per cent shoot is done in the UT.

• Opened up most of the areas for shoots, even going up till Rajouri, which is close to the Line of Control.

• Tamil Nadu pitched itself as a destination for medical tourism, with the state getting 40 percent of all medical tourists coming to India. 

• The Centre announced that several visa reforms will be undertaken, while immigration will also be made more visitor-friendly.

The Ministry of Tourism has launched a number of initiatives and implemented a four-pronged development strategy that focuses on

• Improving the connectivity - air, rail, and roads.

• Enhancing the tourism infrastructure and dependent services.

• Streamlining branding and promotion.

• Showcasing the culture and heritage.

Tourism Sector in India

Role & importance

• The tourism sector contributes significantly to the Indian as well as the world economy.

• Tourism is an integral pillar of the Make in India programme.

• In India, the travel and tourism sector is one of the largest employers, employing nearly 12.75% (including both direct and indirect employment) of employment share in 2018-19.

• Tourism tends to encourage the development of multiple-use infrastructure.

• For Example, hotels, resorts & restaurants, transport infrastructure (aviation, roads, shipping & railways) and healthcare facilities.

Significance of tourism for nation’s economy

• Generating Income and Employment

• Source of Foreign Exchange Earnings

• Preservation of National Heritage and Environment

• Developing Infrastructure

• Promoting Peace and Stability

Challenges in tourism Industry of India

• Lack of Proper Infrastructure

• Access and Connectivity Issues

• Lack of availability of amenities

• Lack of trained/skilled Human Resource

• Lack of marketing and Promotion

• Security Issues

Opportunities

• India has over 200 beaches, 38 UNESCO World Heritage sites and 668 protected areas that can attract significant tourism activity.

• India’s ranking in the 2021 Travel and Tourism Competitive Index (TTCI) is 54. 

• TTCI is published by the World Economic Forum (WEF).

• By 2028, Tourism & Hospitality is forecasted to earn $50.9 bn as visitor exports compared to $28.9 bn earned in 2018.

• By 2029, Travel & Tourism will account for nearly 53 million jobs as compared to the 43 million jobs directly in 2018 (8.1% of total employment)

• By 2030, India is expected to be among the top 5 business travel markets.

• Further, the domains of medical tourism, eco-tourism, gem & jewellery market, religious tourism and other such niche areas may see a boom.

Key areas

• India’s gems and jewellery and handicrafts: They are quite popular among tourists. 

• Medical Tourism: India is emerging as the most preferred destination for Medical Tourism. 

• The availability of world-class medical facilities with top class doctors, personalized nursing care, offering specialized treatments at a cost 1/4th that of developed countries.

• Landscape: The country landscape possesses a gracious natural beauty, and can cater to almost every type of traveller whether they are seeking adventure, wellness, culture and heritage or cuisines.

• Labour Force: The availability of a huge labour force both skilled and unskilled can act as a catalyst due to the service-based nature of the tourism industry.