India’s travel and tourism share of total employment at 2.9 per cent is extremely low compared to other nations. There is great potential for creating an enormous number of new jobs through travel and tourism. The employment potential is the highest in the tourism sector as compared to any other sector. The tourism industry has a very strong linkage to socio-economic progress of the country. It has a very high revenue capital ratio.
The cardinal principles for the tourism development strategy adopted in the Tenth Plan are as follows:
- Tourism has been recognized as a primary means for achieving high economic growth to deliver the social objective of a superior quality of life.
- Focus has been provided on integrated development of tourism circuits and destination development, based on India’s unique civilization, heritage and culture in partnership with states, private sector and other agencies.
- India’s competitiveness as a tourism product is being built through enhancing the visitor experience across all dimensions – such as facilitation, service excellence, and safety and security so that the tourist to India gets “physically invigorated, mentally rejuvenated, culturally enriched, spiritually elevated” and “feels India within him”.
- Due importance is being given to Domestic Tourism.
- In conjunction with its quality positioned as a value for money destination that delivers a superior visitor experience than its competitors at the same or a lower price. A primary means to achieve this is the reduction of transaction costs.
- Widespread partnerships between development agencies (Governments, PRIs, NGOs) are the key to achieving decentralized tourism development and promotion.
- India is building a more robust tourism market through regional co-operation between tourism destination, both domestically and internationally.
- Information technology is being made the primary medium for the marketing and distribution of the India tourism product.
- The economic impact of tourism is being enhanced through furthering the linkages of tourism across the economy.
- The role of Government is to create an enabling environment where private sector investment can occur, as well as to take a leadership role in product development.
