The Statistics Of Indian Tourism Sector Between 2016 And 2017
The Indian tourism sector and hospitality industry have been driving economic growth in the nation. The rich culture and historical heritage of India, in addition to ecological variety and places of natural beauty, increase the tourism potential of the country. The tourism and hospitality sector has emerged as a large source of employment besides being a foreign exchange source for the country.
In 2016, the travel and tourism industry contributed $208.9 billion to the nation’s GDP. This accounted for about 9.6 percent of the nation’s total GDP in the year under view. The contribution of tourism to India’s GDP was the highest recorded in the entire Asia-Pacific? A figure that places them just behind China. The contribution of travel and tourism was twice that of Thailand, which came third on the list. The sector also provided more than 25.4 million jobs directly in 2016.
Tourists exploring the length and breadth of India have benefited from the decrease in accommodation prices witnessed in recent years. The average daily rate of hotels (ADR) dropped to an all-time low in 2016? The lowest recorded in a decade. The occupancy rate of the hotel industry, on the other hand, has remained fairly stable during that time.
The Size Of The Tourism Market In India
As tourists continue to discover unexplored locations, inbound tourism continues to grow {NOTE TO DEVELOPER: Kindly link “unexplored locations” to the article “#2. Unexplored Places That Will Make the Best Vacation Location”}. 2016 was a merry year for the tourism sector in India. States/Union Territories (UTs) witnessed a growth in Domestic Tourist Visits (DTVs) of 15.5 percent year-on-year to 1.65 billion.
The data released by the Ministry of Tourism shows that the foreign tourist arrivals (FTAs) in India leaped 19.5 percent year-on-year to 630,000 as of May 2017. There was also a leap in FTA’s e-tourist visa by 55.3 percent year-on-year to 68,000 as of May 2017. These impacted on India’s Foreign Exchange Earnings (FEEs) by driving it up by 32 percent year-on-year to $2.278 billion in April 2017.
If the statistics continue to rise, India is projected to move up by five places to become one of the top five business travel markets globally by the year 2030. There is also an expectation that business travel spending will treble by 2030 from $30 billion recorded in 2015.
The Role Of The Government In The Growth Of India’s Tourism Sector
The government of India has realized the huge potential of tourism in the country and has taken steps to ensure that it becomes a global tourism hub. To match words with actions, the 2017-2018 Union Budget has initiatives that will boost the tourism and hospitality sector in the country, including setting up five special tourism zones, a tourism train or special pilgrimage and a global campaign on “Incredible India”. Other major initiatives taken by the government include:
- A plan by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change to revise the coastal regulations of India, with the aim of opening 7,500km of the country’s coastline for developmental activities.
- A move by the Central Government to ensure a smooth transition to a cashless mode of payment. This is to ensure that tourists have hitch-free transactions as well as remain immune to the government’s demonetization drive.
The potential of India’s travel and tourism sector is huge and with the tourism sector looking forward to expanding its e-visa scheme, the hardship faced by tourists? Which often deter them from traveling to the country? Will be erased. This will further push up the number of inbound tourists.