Tourism :: Will This Industry Ever make India A Richest Country Of The World

 


Pic - :: A Scene From  a scenic spot at Mussorie famous for Tourism 

Tourism – Will This make India The Richest Country In The World

What is the WORLD market for tourism. This questions haunts many . Well the  answer is - :

:Approximately 1.31 trillion U.S. dollars

In 2021, the market size of tourism worldwide was estimated at approximately 1.31 trillion U.S. dollars.

The Largest market Of Tourism - ::

It might sound very astonishing but then that is the truth.  No other country in the world possesses that kind of any potential, and that the world’s largest market of tourism exists here at India. Yet India in so very poor when it comes to place her at the topmost saddle of tourism. What makes India the largest country of the world of tourism?.It is so intriguing to find that despite having the potential for being the WORLD NUMBER ONE country in the matter of tourism, India is placed at the 34th position when it boils down to her place of merit in the world of tourism.

India is a large market for travel and tourism. It offers a diverse portfolio of niche tourism products - cruises, adventure, medical, wellness, sports, MICE, eco-tourism, film, rural and religious tourism. India has been recognized as a destination for spiritual tourism for domestic and international tourists. In his Independence speech from Red Fort, Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi urged people to visit 15 domestic tourist destinations in India by 2022 to promote tourism.

India ranked 34 in the Travel & Tourism :: Competitiveness Report 2019 published by the World Economic Forum.

India to the dismay of the entire world, that inspite of possessing the world best potential for tourism that could stand number ONE in the world, India is placed at the number 34th, however it stands the FIRST amongst all the nation to have created the job base for tourism.

In WTTC’s Economic Impact 2019 report, India’s Travel & Tourism GDP contribution grew by 4.9%, which was the third highest after China and Philippines. Additionally, the report also highlights that between 2014-2019, India witnessed the strongest growth in the number of jobs created (6.36 million),  ie , 63 Lakhs and Sixty Thousands jobs,  in the tourism industry ,followed by China (5.47 million) and the Philippines (2.53 million).

Tourism Industry In India :: A Roadmap

The Ministry of Tourism has created a policy for development and promotion of caravan and caravan camping parks. On January 25, 2021, Union Tourism and Culture Minister Mr. Prahlad Singh Patel announced plan to develop an international-level infrastructure in Kargil (Ladakh) to promote adventure tourism and winter sports.

The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has introduced a new scheme called or known as,  ‘’ All India Tourist Vehicles Authorisation and Permit Rules, 2021 ’’, in which a tourist vehicle operator can register online for All India Tourist Authorisation/Permit. This permit will be issued within 30 days of submitting the application.

In 2020, the travel & tourism industry’s contribution to the GDP was US$ 121.9 billion; this is expected to reach US$ 512 billion by 2028. In India, the industry’s direct contribution to the GDP is expected to record an annual growth rate of 10.35% between 2019 and 2028.

The travel market in India is projected to reach US$ 125 billion by FY27 from an estimated US$ 75 billion in FY20.

The Indian airline travel market was estimated at ~US$ 20 billion and is projected to double in size by FY27 due to improving airport infrastructure and growing access to passports.

There has been an increase in the demand for luxury stay among Indian consumers, due to rising consumer spend. In line with this, key players are expanding their presence to cater to this demand.

In October 2021, firms such as Accor and Wyndham Hotels and Resorts announced to add new hotels and properties in India to expand footprint in the country.

OYO estimates India to present a US$ 26 billion opportunity by 2030. To further strengthen its position in India, in October 2021, the company filed its draft red herring prospectus (DRHP) for an initial public offering (IPO) of Rs. 8,430 crore (US$ 1.2 billion) with the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI).

The Prospect Of Indian Tourism – The “ MOUTH ” That It cares For  ::

In 2020, the Indian tourism sector accounted for 31.8 million jobs, which was 7.3% of the total employment in the country. By 2029, it is expected to account for about 53 million jobs.

 International Tourists arrival is expected to reach 30.5 billion by 2028. e-Visa facility was offered to 171 countries as of March 2021. The government introduced a scheme to boost the tourism sector by providing one-month free tourist visa to 5 lakh tourists until March 31, 2022.

Certain Statistics Relating To Indian Tourism - ::

During 2019, foreign tourist arrivals (FTAs) in India stood at 10.89 million, achieving a growth rate of 3.20%. During 2019, FEEs from tourism increased 4.8% to Rs. 1,94,881 crore (US$ 29.96 billion). In 2019, arrivals through e-Tourist Visa increased by 23.6% to 2.9 million. In 2020, FTAs decreased by 75.5% to 2.68 million and arrivals through e-Tourist Visa (Jan-Nov) decreased by 67.2% to 0.84 million.

In April 2021, the percentage share of FTAs was highest from USA (26.85%), followed by Bangladesh (15.65%), Afghanistan (6.92%), UK (5.87%), Nepal (4.59%), Canada (4.27%), Iraq (2.99%), Portugal (2.40%), Germany (1.42%), Russian Fed (1.41%) Maldives (1.39%), France (1.33%), Sudan (1.21%), Korea (Rep.) (1.18%), and Australia (1.02%).

In April 2021, the percentage share of FTAs in India was highest at Bengaluru Airport (29.96%), followed by Mumbai Airport (17.48%), Ahmedabad Airport (15.72%), Delhi Airport (9.21%), Cochin Airport (4.91%), Chennai Airport (4.04%), Hyderabad Airport (3.34%), Lucknow Airport (2.40%), Bhavnagar Seaport (2.37%), Kolkata Airport (2.11%), Calicut Airport (1.41%), Amritsar Airport (1.35%), Kakinada Seaport (1.32%), Dabolim (Goa) (0.91%), Mangalore Airport (0.72%).

Between January 2021 and April 2021, the number of FTAs was 376,083 as compared to 2.35 million in January- April 2020 registering a negative growth of -84.0%.

Under the Swadesh Darshan scheme, 77 projects have been sanctioned of worth Rs. 6,035.70 crore (US$ 863.60 million). In Union Budget 2020-21, the Government has allotted Rs. 1,200 crore (US$ 171.70 million) for the development of tourist circuits under Swadesh Darshan for Northeast.

The Ministry of Tourism launched the NIDHI portal to understand the geographical spread of the hospitality sector, its size, structure and existing capacity in the country. NIDHI will serve as a common data repository for the Ministry of Tourism, State Departments of Tourism and Industry; this will enable the Central and State Governments to deliver better support and services including policies and strategies for the tourism sector. As of December 31, 2020, 34,399 accommodation units have been registered on the portal.

The launch of several branding and marketing initiatives by the Government of India such as ‘Incredible India!’ and ‘Athiti Devo Bhava’ has provided a focused impetus to growth. The Indian Government has also released a fresh category of visa - the medical visa or M-visa, to encourage medical tourism in the country. The Government is working to achieve 1% share in world's international tourist arrivals by 2020 and 2% share by 2025.

Amid the relaxation provided by the government after the COVID lockdown, the Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO) has urged the government to finalise a roadmap for resumption of international flights and facilitate e-visas and tourist visas. The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) runs a series of Bharat Darshan tourist trains aimed at taking people to various pilgrimages across the country.

Subsequently in November end, India introduced a graded relaxation of its visa and travel restrictions for more categories of foreign nationals and Indian nationals.

Post the pandemic crisis, the government plans to tap into regional tourism by opening doors for South Asian country tourists.

The Government is also making serious efforts to boost investment in the tourism sector. In the hotel and tourism sector, 100% FDI (Foreign Direct Investment) is allowed through the automatic route. A five-year tax holiday has been offered for 2-, 3- and 4-star category hotels located around UNESCO World Heritage sites (except Delhi and Mumbai).

Government is planning to boost the tourism in India by leveraging on the lighthouses in the country. 71 lighthouses have been identified in India which will be developed as tourist spots. The lighthouses will feature museums, amphi-theatres, open air theatres, cafeterias, children’s parks, eco-friendly cottages and landscaping according to its capacity. India is often termed as the hotspot for bio-diversity and its rich natural heritage is unparalleled in many ways. As of December 2020, the country comprised ~104 national parks and 566 sanctuaries.

The Government of India also announced to develop 17 iconic tourist sites in India into world-class destinations as per Union Budget 2019-20. Ministry of Tourism launched DekhoApnaDesh webinar in April 2020 to provide information on the many destinations and the sheer depth and expanse of the culture and heritage of Incredible India. Until July 2021, 90 webinars have been conducted under the series.

In October 2021, Prime Minister, Mr. Narendra Modi launched the Kushinagar International Airport in Uttar Pradesh to boost tourism.

On November 4, 2020, the Union Minister of State (IC) for Tourism & Culture Mr. Prahlad Singh Patel inaugurated the “Tourist Facilitation Centre” facility constructed under the project “Development of Guruvayur, Kerala” (under the PRASHAD Scheme of the Ministry of Tourism).

In July 2021, the ministry drafted a proposal titled ‘National Strategy and Roadmap for Medical and Wellness Tourism' and has requested recommendations and feedback from several Central Ministries, all state and UT governments and administrations as well as industry partners to make the document more comprehensive.

In May 2021, the Union Minister of State (IC) for Tourism & Culture Mr. Prahlad Singh Patel participated in the G20 tourism ministers' meeting to collaborate with member countries in protecting tourism businesses, jobs and taking initiatives to frame policy guidelines to support the sustainable and resilient recovery of travel and tourism.

The Ministry of Tourism developed an initiative called SAATHI (System for Assessment, Awareness & Training for Hospitality Industry) by partnering with the Quality Council of India (QCI) in October 2020. The initiative will effectively implement guidelines/SOPs issued with reference to COVID-19 for safe operations of hotels, restaurants, B&Bs and other units.

Ministry of Tourism has introduced the Incredible India Tourist Facilitator (IITF) and Incredible India Tourist Guide (IITG) Certification Programme, aimed at creating an online learning platform of well-trained tourist facilitators and guides across the country. The IITF concept is aimed to promote micro-tourism, i.e., tourism in less explored areas of the country.

As per the Federation of Hotel & Restaurant Associations of India (FHRAI), in FY21, the Indian hotel industry has taken a hit of >Rs. 1.30 lakh crore (US$ 17.81 billion) in revenue due to impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Rise In The Price Of Oil And It’s Negative Effect In Indian Tourism-::

It is expected that global oil prices will increase in the future. Assessing the overall economic impacts on tourism is difficult, as oil price rises will be concomitant with global changes in other commodity prices, exchange rates, and incomes. A general equilibrium perspective is therefore presented in this paper. The model couples a global general equilibrium model with a purpose-built CGE model of New Zealand, which focuses on describing tourism supply and demand in some detail. The results indicate a decrease in real gross national disposable income of 1.7% for a doubling of oil price and a 9% reduction in the real value of tourism exports. As a result of segment-specific price increases and differing income and exchange rate effects and elasticity, the reduction in demand for tourism in New Zealand by 18 segments differs substantially. The greatest reduction in demand is observed for tourists from the United Kingdom.

Oil price movements can significantly affect countries that are heavily reliant on the tourism industry, and research indicates that such countries are unevenly exposed to sudden fluctuations in oil prices . The harmful effects of oil price fluctuations on transportation, production costs, economic uncertainty, and disposable income  have long been discussed. ...

... The emerging concerns relating to oil prices and its impact on diverse aspects of industrial economies have been studied by numerous researchers ]. Among this research, the relationship between oil price and tourism has drawn significant attention , and this is understandable as tourism is recognized as the third largest industry in the world after oil and automobiles .

... Whilst econometric tourism models are acknowledged for having a lower empirical cost, there is strong evidence which portrays the importance of quantitative causal econometric models in enabling a better understanding of the factors affecting tourism demand [20,21]. Moreover, past literature indicates a negative association between oil price and tourism [1,16], which is supported by overwhelming evidence from factors like inflation, Consumer Price Index (CPI) , oil production, tourism income, and industrial production indices

 It has been suggested that rising oil prices will affect long-haul tourism more than short-haul travel. However, even in these findings, there are significant differences in price sensitivity by market (Becken and Lennox, 2012). Some researchers have suggested that domestic tourism may make up for reductions in international tourism in response to increasing travel costs (Becken and Lennox, 2012;Dubois and Ceron, 2006). ...

... However, even in these findings, there are significant differences in price sensitivity by market (Becken and Lennox, 2012). Some researchers have suggested that domestic tourism may make up for reductions in international tourism in response to increasing travel costs 

Consequently, we might state that tourism and its related support industries rely heavily on road and air transport, where oil is used as a fuel, or have oil expenses included directly among the costs, for example in the cruise segment. Other tourism activities such as scenic flights, jet boating and boat cruises

On the one hand, an increase in oil prices brings the inflation rate to high which may have a deteriorating effect on tourism demand because activities related to tourism are usually oil intensive; therefore, tourism demand is susceptible to oil price volatility. Conversely, inflation as a result of high oil prices may also have a positive or productive effect for oil producing countries because higher the oil prices, higher will be the income for those countries.

The Beckon And The Lenox Theory Of The Impact Of Oil On Tourism-::

Among macroeconomic risk factors, oil shocks can also affect tourism profitability. Becken (2011) and Becken and Lennox (2012) maintained that higher costs of energy have a negative impact on travel and leisure activities, not only affecting the costs of the sector but also influencing income of travelers who reduce tourism activities, thus reducing the industry revenues

These studies have generally taken macro-level approaches that are based on price elasticities of demand to examine the potential effects of high oil prices on tourism in terms of the total yearly tourism expenditure, the total annual number of tourist arrivals and the number of overnight stays

 On the one hand, high oil-price induced inflation may be considered to have destructive effect to tourism demand in a country in the sense that tourism is a discretionary and oil-intensive activity, which can be vulnerable to oil price change. On the other hand, there may also be inflation pressure that is beneficial to tourism demand to a country due to the reason such high oil price also raises the income of the oil producing countries

At the macro level, the increasing mobility of global populations presents both opportunities and threats to hotel futures. Opportunities are realised on the demand side, with greater proportions of the world's population being enabled to travel, although long-haul travel may well stagnate and decline into the future due to fossil fuel scarcities .

That is it 

Regards and Thanks

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Shyamal Bhattacharjee 

Mr Shyamal Bhattacharjee, the author was born at West Chirimiri Colliery at District Surguja, Chattisgarh on July 6th 1959 He received his early education at Carmel Convent School Bishrampur and later at Christ Church Boys' Higher Secondary School at Jabalpur. He later joined Hislop College at Nagpur and completed his graduation in Science and he also added a degree in  B A thereafter. He joined the HITAVADA, a leading dailies of Central India at Nagpur as a      Sub-Editor ( Sports ) but gave up to complete his MBA in 1984 He thereafter added a Diploma In Export Management. He has authored FIVE  books namely Notable Quotes and Noble Thought published by Pustak Mahal in 2001 Indian Cricket : Faces That Changed It  published by Manas Publications in 2009 and Essential Of Office Management published by NBCA, Kolkatta  in 2012, GOLDEN QUOTES on Inspiration, Sorrow, Peace and Life, published by B.F.C Publications, Lucknow, and QUOTES:: Evolution and Origin of Management Electives by Clever Fox Publishing, Chennai . He has a experience of about 35 years in Marketing .






Signature Of Shyamal Bhattacharjee 

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