Why in News?

• National Tourism Day has recently celebrated every year on January 25 to recognize India’s natural beauty and raise awareness about the importance of tourism for the Indian economy.

Highlights

• India is one of the top tourist attractions for visitors from all around the globe. Hence tourism holds so much importance in India, both in cultural and economic terms.
• India provides a diverse portfolio of tourism, including eco-tourism, cruises, business, sports, educational, rural, and medical travel.
• The Ministry of Tourism in India is responsible for formulating the country’s national policies for developing and promoting tourism.
• It also collaborates with local, national, and international organisations.
• India ranks 6th according to World Travel and Tourism Council in terms of Travel & Tourism total contribution to GDP in 2021.
• Travel & Tourism contributed 5.8% to GDP and the sector created 32.1 million jobs, which is equivalent to 6.9% of total jobs in 2021.
• Also, India is currently ranked 54th in World Economic Forum’s Travel & Tourism Development Index (2021).
• According to Global Data, international arrivals to the country is forecast to reach 7.2 million in 2022 and 8.6 million in 2023.
• Given that the tourism industry is a labour-intensive sector, it is undeniable that practical training plays an important role.
• But over the years, availability of trained manpower has not kept pace with growth of the tourism sector in India.
• Unsustainable Tourism often puts pressure on natural resources through overconsumption especially in Himalayan regions of India, where resources are already scarce. Unsustainable tourism also affects local land use, resulting in soil erosion, increased pollution, and loss of natural habitats of endangered species.
• Lack of Infrastructure and Security is a major challenge for the Indian tourism sector. It includes a lack of multi cuisine restaurants, basic health facilities, public transport and hygiene and safety & security of tourists.