India’s growth story is one for the books, more so that in the last five years. Several sectors have helped boost the growth of the nation, including the tourism sector. Tourism is not just a growth engine but also an employment generator and a significant one in the Indian economy.
As per the Economic Survey 2011-12, tourism sector has the capacity to create direct and indirect large scale employment. Additionally, these employment opportunities absorb people from diverse strata of the society, making it inclusive for the skilled and unskilled workforce.
According to UN World Tourism Organisation(UNWTO), tourism sector provides for six to seven per cent of the world’s total jobs directly and multiple times more indirectly through the multiplier effect. In India, every one million invested in tourism creates 47.5 jobs directly and around 85- 90 jobs indirectly. Looking at these numbers in comparison, agriculture creates only 44.6 jobs and manufacturing 12.6 jobs.
Other than providing jobs and supporting millions of families, tourism in India is also one of the largest foreign exchange earners. In 2020, tourism sector contributed more than USD 12 billion and between 2000 and 2019 the foreign exchange earnings from tourism grew steadily that reached a new high of USD 30 billion in 2019.
Tourism has become a very important sector for the Indian economy and also a brand ambassador for India on the world stage. Government initiatives and policies have helped strengthen the sector in a big way.
New visas boost tourist influx
In June 2021, Nirmala Sitharaman had said that once visa issuance resumes following the COVID-19 pandemic, the first 5,00,000 tourist visas would be issued free of charge. The scheme was would be applicable till 31 March 2022 and would decrease the government income by INR 100 crore approximately. This announcement was made to incentivise short-term tourists visiting India.
It was in October 2014 when the tourist e-Visa for India was launched to simplify the process of obtaining a visa, attract more foreign visitors and boost tourism sector further. As part of this visa regime, some of the reasons to travel to India with this type of visa include to engage in tourism activism, to visit friends and family and to attend a yoga retreat.
The online tourist visa was first introduced for 43 countries and was initiated to promote travel to India without the hassle of going to the embassy or wait in long lines. In October 2019, the government reduced the e-Tourist visa fees for foreign nationals for one year from USD 80 to USD 40.
Additionally, from the April to June period, the fee for eTourist visa for a 30-day period was reduced from USD 25 to USD 10. In 2015, India expanded the e-Visa programme and included more countries in the list. In 2017, the e-Visa programme was revamped and several sub-categories were included such as business travellers and medical visits.
India flexes muscle
On 31 October 2018, PM Narendra Modi inaugurated the 182-metre (approximately 600 feet) tall statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel – the world’s tallest statue. The statue stands on the Sadhu Bet islet near the Sardar Sarovar Dam in Kevadia, Gujarat.
The statue, a dear project of PM Narendra Modi, has been built as an ode to the Iron Man of India, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel who played a huge role in unifying India post- independence. He was also the first Home Minister of independent India. He was responsible for uniting all 562 princely states of the country to build the Republic of India.
The gigantic statue, the Statue of Unity, leaves the visitors awestruck when they see it against the backdrop of the dramatic Satpura and Vindhyachal hills in Kevadia. The beautiful and colossal monument looks grand standing near Narmada River.
A 300-meter long bridge over River Narmada connects the Sadhu Bet hillock to mainland. The Statue of Unity overlooks the vast river basin of the Narmada River and the sprawling Sardar Sarovar dam.
The Statue of Unity symbolizes unity in the truest sense. When the project was being conceptualised, as part of an outreach programme, the state government had asked Indian farmers to donate their used farming equipment to collect iron needed for the statue of Sardar Patel. At the end, about 5000 tonnes of iron is believed to be collected for the statue.
There is an in-house museum also that details the construction of the statue and the history of one of the strongest freedom fighters of the nation. Other than that every evening, except on Mondays, there is a Laser Light and Sound Show that uses laser technology projecting on the Statue of Unity.
The mesmerising colourful laser lighting system is accompanied by a narration of the history and life of Sardar Patel, his contribution to India’s Independence movement and the unification of India as one nation.
Encouraging quality service
Like any other tertiary sector, in tourism also service and that too professional and quality service is of utmost importance. While the private sector, owing to competition, is upgrading its services and ensuring customer satisfaction, the state-run entities are catching up.
In March 2022, the Ministry of Tourism constituted Swadesh Darshan awards in different categories in order to acknowledge the efforts undertaken by the State Governments, Union Territory Administrations and various implementation agencies.
The Swadesh Darshan awards will highlight ‘best practices including achievement of planned objectives, innovative approach, adoption of sustainability principles in planning, design, and operations, efficient project monitoring, ability to attract private investments in peripheral development and efforts undertaken to ensure optimal operations and maintenance, etc.’
In this welcome move, the Ministry has invited entries under the following categories – Best Tourist Interpretation Centre, Best Log Hut Facility, Best MICE Facility, Best Cafeteria, Best Craft Haat / Souvenir Shop facility, Best Sound and Light Show and Best Waterfront Development (Beach / River/ Lake etc.).
The entries for the awards will be done online. It must be noted that the one-of-its-kind initiative by the government, the flagship scheme of ‘Swadesh Darshan’, has sanctioned 76 projects in 31 States and Union Territories of India with a budget exceeding INR 5,500 crore. It is a very ambitious project and upon successful implementation, it will take India’s tourism sector to newer heights.
The Swadesh Darshan scheme is a Central Sector scheme launched in 2014-15 by the Ministry of Tourism and Culture, Government of India for the ‘integrated development of theme-based tourist circuits’. As part of this scheme, tourism-related infrastructure has been developed at more than 500 tourist destinations so far.
The scheme aims to promote, develop and harness the potential of tourism in India. Under the Swadesh Darshan scheme, the Ministry of Tourism provides Central Financial Assistance (CFA) to State Governments, Union Territory Administrations for the infrastructure development of circuits.
This flagship scheme also aims to collaborate with other schemes like Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan, Skill India, Make in India, etc. with the idea of positioning the tourism sector as a major engine for job creation, the driving force for economic growth, building synergy with various sectors to enable tourism to realize its true and full potential.