A lack of coordinated policies is stifling the growth of India’s tourism industry, the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has said.
Speaking at the Hotel Investment Forum India in Mumbai, WTTC president & CEO, David Scowsill, said that while India’s travel tourism sector has huge potential, its growth remains largely untapped due to a lack of a co-ordinated approach to tourism policies.
“Travel and tourism is growing in India, but it comes from a low base compared to other countries in Asia. With the forecast growth for domestic and international tourism, we now stand at a crossroads. Now is the time for India to take off and fulfil its potential,” Scowsill said.
He went on to suggest six measures he believes the Indian government should “address urgently” in order to boost domestic and international tourism.
Firstly, Scowsill said India needs to put tourism “at the heart of its economic agenda”, delivering on its election promise. He also urged the government to agree a “responsible rate of GST”, in the region of 9-14%. Thirdly, he wants more funding invested into the ‘Incredible India’ campaign and to look at other ways of sourcing marketing funds, and fourthly he suggested an expansion of the electronic visa programme to include a “two-year multi-entry approach”.
Improved infrastructure was also highlighted, including increased investment in airports, road and rail networks, and finally Scowsill said he wants to see a co-ordinated public-private plan for aviation.
“We commend President Modi’s current efforts to drive the growth of travel and tourism,” Scowsill said. “India is a beautiful destination with a great deal of tourism potential for domestic and international travellers. Everything required to make India one of the world’s biggest travel and tourism economies can now be put in place.
“We encourage the government to adopt these six priorities, to ensure that the sector can create more jobs and stimulate growth in the economy,” he concluded.
India’s travel and tourism sector is forecast to grow at a rate of 7.5% per annum over the next decade.
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