Tourism in India

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Tourism in India is 4.6% of the country's gross domestic product (GDP). Unlike other sectors, tourism is not a priority sector for the Government of India. The World Travel and Tourism Council calculated that tourism generated ₹13.2 lakh crore (US$160 billion) or 5.8% of India's GDP and supported 32.1 million jobs in 2021. Even though, these numbers were lower than the pre-pandemic figures; the country's economy witnessed a significant growth in 2021 after the massive downturn during 2020. The sector is predicted to grow at an annual rate of 7.8% to ₹33.8 lakh crore (US$400 billion) by 2031 (7.2% of GDP).[1] India has established itself as the 5th largest global travel healthcare destination with an estimated market size of around $9 billion in 2019, out of the total global travel healthcare industry of $44.8 billion(2019).[2][3] In 2014, 184,298 foreign patients travelled to India to seek medical treatment.[4]

According to the Ministry of Tourism, over 6.19 million and 1.52 million foreign tourists arrived in India in 2022 and 2021 respectively compared to 10.93 million in 2019, representing a -44% degrowth.[5][6] This makes India the 22nd most visited nation in the world and 8th in Asia and Pacific.[7] In 2022, Gujarat Tops India in Foreign Tourism with 20.17% Share in 2022. Gujarat rose as a global tourism hotspot continues with over 15.40 lakh tourists visiting in 2023.[8]

The World Economic Forum's Travel and Tourism Development Index 2021, which replaced its previous Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report, ranks India 54th out of 117 countries overall.[9] The last edition of the Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report, published in 2019, had ranked India 34th out of 140 countries overall. The report ranked the price competitiveness of India's tourism sector 13th out of 140 countries. It mentioned that India has quite good air transport infrastructure (ranked 33rd), particularly given the country's stage of development, and reasonable ground and port infrastructure (ranked 28th). The country also scored high on natural resources (ranked 14th), and cultural resources and business travel (ranked 8th).[10] The World Tourism Organization reported that India's receipts from tourism during 2012 ranked 16th in the world, and 7th among Asian and Pacific countries.[11]

The Ministry of Tourism designs national policies for the development and promotion of tourism. In the process, the Ministry consults and collaborates with other stakeholders in the sector including various central ministries/agencies, state governments, union territories and private sector representatives. Concerted efforts are being made to promote niche tourism products such as rural, cruise, medical and eco-tourism.[12] The Ministry of Tourism maintains the Incredible India campaign focused on promoting tourism in India.

  1. ^ "India's Travel & Tourism could surpass pre-pandemic levels by the end of 2022". WTTC. Archived from the original on 30 September 2022. Retrieved 30 September 2022.
  2. ^ Singh, Harsimarbir. "India eyes to be a huge medical tourism hub in coming years". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 21 March 2023. Retrieved 13 October 2023.
  3. ^ "Medical value tourism in India: What makes the country a leading Medical Tourism Destination". 27 September 2021. Archived from the original on 4 February 2023. Retrieved 13 October 2023.
  4. ^ "Promotion of Medical Tourism". Press Information Bureau. Archived from the original on 7 May 2016. Retrieved 28 April 2016.
  5. ^ "India received 6.19 million Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTAs) during 2022 as compare to 1.52 million during the same period of 2021". pib.gov.in. Archived from the original on 31 March 2024. Retrieved 17 August 2023.
  6. ^ "Foreign tourist arrivals to India 44% lesser than pre-Covid level". Deccan Herald. Archived from the original on 17 August 2023. Retrieved 17 August 2023.
  7. ^ "Most Visited Countries 2021". worldpopulationreview.com. Archived from the original on 6 December 2021. Retrieved 22 December 2021.
  8. ^ "Gujarat's rise as a global hotspot continues, with over 15.40 lakh already visiting in 2023". Retrieved 26 September 2023.
  9. ^ "Travel & Tourism Development Index 2021 Rebuilding for a Sustainable and Resilient Future" (PDF). weforum.org. World Economic Forum. May 2022. p. 13. Archived (PDF) from the original on 3 July 2022. Retrieved 24 June 2022.
  10. ^ "Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report 2019" (PDF). weforum.org. Archived (PDF) from the original on 4 September 2019. Retrieved 10 September 2019.
  11. ^ "Rank in Tourism" (Press release). Press Information Bureau, Government of India. 7 February 2014. Archived from the original on 22 February 2014. Retrieved 8 February 2014.
  12. ^ Cite error: The named reference AnnualReport2017–18 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).