Snapshot

Incredible India

The Tourism and Hospitality industry is one of the largest service industries in India.

The tourism sector in India is an integral pillar of the Make in India programme. The tourism industry in India plays a role of significant economic multiplier and becomes critical since India has to grow at rapid rates and create jobs.

Tourism Industry is one of the largest employers of women workforce.

India offers geographical diversity, world heritage sites and niche tourism products like cruises, adventure, medical, eco-tourism, etc. Incredible India has spurred growth in Tourists Arrivals and Employment. India aims to increase cruise passenger traffic from 0.4 Mn at present to 4 Mn. Economic potential of Cruise tourism is expected to go up from $110 Mn to $5.5 Bn in the years to come.

Tourism tends to encourage the development of multiple-use infrastructure including hotels, resorts & restaurants, transport infrastructure (aviation, roads, shipping & railways) and healthcare facilities. 13th in terms of Visitor exports, WTTC (2020).

India is currently ranked 54th in World Economic Forum’s Travel & Tourism Development Index (2021).

By 2030, India is expected to be among the top five business travel market.

100% FDI in the tourism industry is allowed under automatic route.

100% FDI allowed in tourism construction projects, including the development of hotels, resorts, and recreational facilities

For further details, please refer FDI Policy

  • %

    Share in World Tourist Arrivals (2021)

  • %

    Share in International Tourism Receipts (2021)

  • $ Bn

    Foreign Exchange Earnings (FEEs) (2021)

  • th

    Visitor exports, WTTC (2021)

4th in terms of Domestic visitor spending, WTTC (2021)

6th in terms of Travel & Tourism total contribution to GDP, WTTC (2021)

54th on the World Economic Forum Travel & Tourism Development Index (2021)

Industry Scenario

$512 Bn contributions to India's GDP by 2028 and 53 Mn jobs by 2029.  

India is estimated to contribute 250 Bn USD GDP from Tourism, 137 Mn jobs in the Tourism sector, $56 Bn in Foreign Exchange Earnings and 25 Mn foreign arrivals are expected to be achieved by 2030.

By 2028, Indian tourism and hospitality is expected to earn $50.9 Bn as visitor exports compared with $ 28.9 Bn in 2018. International tourist arrivals are expected to reach 30.5 Mn by 2028

The travel market in India is projected to reach $125 Bn by FY27 from an estimated $75 Bn in FY20.

In FY20, tourism sector in India accounted for 39 Mn jobs, which was 8.0% of the total employment in the country. By 2029, it is expected to account for about 53 Mn jobs.

It is estimated that outbound trips from India will touch 29 Mn by 2025 and cross the $24 Bn mark by 2024.

Over the last 8.5 years, India has built extensive tourism infrastructure worth approximately $1 Bn (INR 7,000 Cr) to improve tourist experience.

Union Budget 2023 Highlights:

  • 50 tourist destinations will be selected through challenge mode to be developed as a whole package for domestic and international tourism.
  • 50 additional airports, heliports, water aerodromes, advanced landing grounds will be revived to improve of regional air connectivity.

GROWTH DRIVERS

  • Incredible India campaign

    Extending international tourism business in India

  • E-Tourist VISA facility

    E-visa facility extended to 156 Countries under 5 sub-categories i.e ‘e-Tourist visa’, ’eBusiness visa’, ‘e-medical visa’, ‘e-Medical Attendant Visa’ and ‘e-Conference Visa’

  • Infrastructure development

    More than half of the Ministry of Tourism’s budget is channelised for funding the development of destinations, circuits, mega projects as well as rural tourism infrastructure projects.

  • Medical tourism

    Economical treatment, quality healthcare infra & highly skilled doctors

  • Coastal tourism

    Promote intra-regional trade among Indian Ocean Rim (IOR) countries

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Industrial Land Bank Portal

GIS - based map displaying available infrastructure for setting up business operations in the state.

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FAQs

Frequently
Asked Questions

What are the initiatives taken by the Indian government in the cruise tourism sector?

The following initiatives have been undertaken by GOI:

  1. The government is in process to develop 5 ports as cruise tourism hubs. These are Mumbai, Goa, Mangalore, Chennai and Kochi. These terminals will have facilities such as hospitality, retail, shopping and restaurants.
  2. Developing appropriate infrastructure at ports for handling cruise vessels and facilitating ease of movement of passengers.
  3. The Ports have been developed to attract Cruise Ships with dedicated terminals & other related infrastructure for berthing of Cruise vessels & embarking & disembarking of cruise passengers.
  4. A Task Force on Cruise Tourism has been formed jointly by the Ministry of Tourism and Ministry of Shipping with representatives of all major ports and stakeholders for coordinated efforts to create an enabling ecosystem for the development of Cruise Tourism in India.

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What are the initiatives taken by the Union Government to develop rural tourism in India?

Recognising the potential of rural tourism in the country, the Ministry of Tourism has identified Rural Circuit as one of the fifteen thematic circuits for development under the Swadesh Darshan Scheme and is aimed at leveraging tourism as a force multiple for revitalizing the rural economy and for giving both domestic and international tourists a glimpse of rural aspect of the country.

Further, Ministry of Tourism has formulated a Draft 'National Strategy and Roadmap for Development of Rural Tourism in India - An initiative towards Atmanirbhar Bharat', which, inter alia, focuses on generating income and jobs in rural areas and empower local communities, youth and women, fulfilling the vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat.

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What are the government's initiatives under Lighthouses Tourism in India?

The GOI has identified 78 lighthouses in the country as centres of tourism, which are in the first phase under Public Private Partnership (PPP). The identified lighthouses are in Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala, Lakshadweep, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, West Bengal and Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The GOI has kick started the ‘lighthouse tourism’ project by inviting initial qualification bids to develop eight lighthouses in the first phase, at a cost of INR 128 crore, under the public-private-partnership model for 7 lighthouses.

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What is the difference between Prasad Scheme and 'Spiritual Circuit' under Swadesh Darshan Scheme?

The ‘PRASHAD’ scheme, focuses on development and beautification of the identified pilgrimage destinations. Whereas, in the ‘Spiritual Circuit’ identified under the Swadesh Darshan scheme, the thrust is on development of particular thematic circuit consisting of various religious/spiritual destination in a State or Union Territory.

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What is Prasad Scheme?

Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual, Heritage Augmentation Drive (PRASHAD) scheme focuses on developing and identifying pilgrimage sites across India for enriching the religious tourism experience. It aims to integrate pilgrimage destinations in a prioritised, planned and sustainable manner to provide a complete religious tourism experience. As on date, total number of destinations/sites identified for development under the scheme at present are 68 in 30 states/UTs.

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