India seeks 12 percent annual tourism growth

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Written by Linda Hohnholz

BANGALORE, India – Indian officials will be seeking a 12 percent annual growth in tourism, in a bid to reach targets set by the government.

BANGALORE, India – Indian officials will be seeking a 12 percent annual growth in tourism, in a bid to reach targets set by the government.

Shripad Yesso Naik, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Culture and Tourism, has said that the Working Group on Tourism for the 12th Five Year Plan, set up by the Planning Commission, has recommended increasing India’s share of ITAs to at least 1 percent by the end of 12th Plan โ€“ requiring an annual growth of about 12 percent.

“The tourism sector has a major role to play to promote faster, sustainable and more inclusive economic growth. This is because tourism is labour intensive and involves a collection of activities, services and industries comprising transportation, accommodation, eating establishments, retail shops, entertainment businesses and other hospitality services provided to individuals or groups travelling away from home for leisure, business or other purposes,” he added.

“The broad scope of economic activities involved enables wide participation in its growth, including participation by the informal sector,” noted Naik.

Naik added, “As per the 2nd Tourism Satellite Account of India 2009-10, the contribution of Tourism in the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and employment generation in the country in 2009-10, has been estimated to be 6.8 percent and 10.2 percent, respectively. The Foreign Exchange Earnings (FEEs) during the years 2002-2012 were Rs.5, 22,206 crore.”

“The number of Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTAs) in India has continuously shown a better growth than the world average of International Tourist Arrivals during the last four years. Domestic Tourist Visits (DTVs) have also shown significantly higher growth during the same period,” said Naik.

Naik added, “Although the tourism sector in India has grown in recent years, it is felt that with India’s vast bounties of nature, its great treasures of art, architecture and philosophical thought, its rich cultural heritage, its varied rural countryside and wildlife, age โ€“ old practices of Yoga, Siddha, and more, spread across different States/Union Territories (UTs), there is immense tourism potential to tap, which can lead to further growth in tourism.”

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Linda Hohnholz

Editor in chief for eTurboNews based in the eTN HQ.

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