With the tourism sector facing pressure from key source markets, high borrowing rates and policy dilemma on infrastructure development, industry players have called for positioning it as a key growth pillar.
Besides stressing on tourism getting infrastructure status, key industry players said there was need for public-private partnerships in the form of a tourism marketing board to promote India.
In a brain-storming session hosted by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) in Agra over the weekend, industry stakeholders urged the Government to promote India globally in a focussed manner, in sync with its emerging position in the global economy.
They also called for policy changes such as timely clearances or single-window clearances and faster approvals for hotels.
The outcome of the deliberations will be submitted in form of a white paper to the inter-ministerial tourism committee led by Pulok Chatterjee at the Prime Minister’s office.
Nakul Anand, Chairman of the CII tourism committee and executive director of ITC, said, “One of the key ways in which tourism contributes to economic growth is by generating employment. In the next five-eight years, the sector is likely to generate nearly 30-40 per cent of total jobs in the country.”
He said employment in the sector generation was ‘inclusive’ as it involved all strata of society.
Anand said India had below 1 per cent global market share in tourism for a long time, but focus is shifting to Asia. The industry and Government need to aim at attracting 11 million tourists by 2020.
Arjun Sharma, co-chairman of the committee and Managing Director, Le Passage to India, said, “Effective planning and execution can happen if the Centre and States share a common vision and strategic action plan, for instance, last-mile connectivity, issues around taxation among others.”