''Medical
and environmental tourism offer great scope.''
Tourism is often flaunted as the sunrise
industry in India with the potential to grow faster and to contribute to
development more than others. But the achievement has always lagged behind
potential. It is still the largest service industry in the country and
contributes about 9 per cent to the national economy.
Recently, the tourism ministry announced plans
to increase the share of the sector to about 12 per cent in the next five years
and to increase the number of tourist arrivals to one per cent of the global traffic from the
present 0.6 per cent. Even this should be a modest target, considering the
attractions India can offer and the advantages it has got over many other countries.
With its varied geographical, historical,
cultural and other assets India is well placed to attract much more tourists
than it does now. The performance has been patchy and uneven in the past. Some
regions, like the Delhi-Rajasthan-Agra belt and states like Kerala and Goa,
have done better than others and account for much of the tourist traffic.
But every part of the country has something to
offer to tourists with diverse tastes and interests. There are new areas like
medical and environmental tourism which offer great scope. Many countries which
are much less endowed have done much better than India. Even tiny Singapore
attracted 12 million tourists, twice its population, last year while the number
of tourists visiting India was over 17 million. Much smaller countries have
registered more tourist arrivals than India.
It is yet to be realised that tourism has
greater employment potential than other industries. It is estimated that Rs 10
lakh invested in tourism creates 78 new jobs while the same investment in
manufacturing yields only 45 jobs. These jobs are created across various
sections of people, like women, unskilled workers and professionals, unlike in
manufacturing where there is mostly scope for skilled labour.
A growing tourism sector also contributes to
creation of better awareness about the country in the world and helps enhance
the country’s soft power. The key to promotion of the sector is the development
of infrastructure like good roads and hotels which cater to all tastes and
budgets, professional attitudes and hospitality management and effective
campaigns which project the country’s strengths and diversities. A growing
economy and growing tourism can promote each other and benefit the country.
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