New Delhi, May 28 (PTI) Laying out a grand vision for India’s tourism, Union minister Gajendra Shekhawat says the sector’s contribution to the GDP is set to cross 7 per cent by 2030 and international tourist
arrivals will grow from 10 million to 100 million by 2047.
Riding on India’s economic growth, improving infrastructure and decentralisation of tourism development, India will go from being an international tourism laggard to a leading light of global tourism, Shekhawat, the minister of tourism and culture, told PTI Videos in an interview on Wednesday.
In 2024, India's foreign exchange earnings from tourism amounted to about USD 35 billion, or about 1 per cent of the country's GDP. Also, in 2023-24, the travel and tourism sector in India generated direct and indirect employment for about 8.4 crore people, according to official data.
Asked if India should be satisfied with these figures or if “tourism can become” one of India's top three generators of jobs and foreign exchange by 2047, the minister replied, "I just wish to take out the 'can' word from your question. It WILL become."
Shekhawat pointed out that while foreign earnings contribute 1 per cent to the GDP, tourism industry as a whole makes up a little less than 6 per cent of the GDP. Still, it is not impressive, considering that the global average contribution of tourism to the global economy is 10 per cent.
“So, our aim and target, which has been given to us by the prime minister, is that by 2047 we have to arrive at a global benchmark (of 10 per cent),” Shekhawat said.
"By 2030 at any cost, we have to reach the target of contributing 7 per cent. And the way India's economy is growing, the way the demand for tourism is increasing in India, I am fully confident that by the year 2030, we will cross this 7 per cent mark," he said.
“The day we (tourism sector) contribute 10 per cent to the economy, that day we will become the second sector after agriculture in terms of the number of jobs created. And, we will leave behind the MSME (sector)," Shekhawat said.
He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has created a "new narrative of India" globally.
"The way India is being viewed is changing, and the view is changing in front of the whole world, and the image of India is changing. It is once again becoming the centre of attraction of the world,” Shekhawat said.
“We will take it (foreign tourist arrivals) to 100 million by 2047," he asserted. The number of foreign tourists right now is 10 million (1 crore).
The minister acknowledged that India remains a laggard in international tourist arrivals compared to other countries such as Thailand, which gets 35-40 million (3.5 crore to 4 crore) tourists a year. France crosses 100 million (10 crore), and Singapore, a nation of 4 million, gets 16 million (1.6 crore) tourists.
In Shekhawat’s view, it is an unfair comparison because it doesn’t take into account domestic tourism. Unlike India these countries have very small domestic tourism component. India, on the other hand, recorded nearly 3 billion or 300 crore domestic trips by Indians in 2025. This number includes travel for leisure, medical treatment, wedding or pilgrimages, religious tourism or any other reason.
"So, if any person is going to visit Mahakal Temple in Ujjain, then we cannot deny that he is a tourist … if there is a travel economy, we will have to add it… He left home, travelled to another city, stayed there for at least one night, and then returned. If I were to quantify this, the number would come to 294 crore," the minister said. This number, he added, does not include the 66 crore people who went to Maha Kumbh (in 2025).
Shekhawat acknowledged that India’s poor infrastructure, lack of cleanliness, perception of safety and pollution, lack of connectivity, insufficient quality hotels rooms and high cost of hotels have been a hindrance in attracting foreign tourists.
Ironically, growing economic prosperity has meant more Indians are travelling within the country and are taking up all the available hotels rooms, thus raising the room tariff because of high demand. This has hit the middle-class foreign traveller - not the ultra-luxury guest or the backpackers. The mid-rung foreigner then finds it cheaper to go to neighbouring destinations, the minister explained.
He said the perception of pollution and safety is false. Pollution persists only for a couple of months, that too in Delhi while the rests of the country remains pristine.
While hailing India’s diversity of attractions, such as natural beauty, history, culture, spirituality, adventure and cuisine, Shekhawat lamented that Indians still do not treat foreign tourists and historic sites with the respect and care that he sees in other countries such as Switzerland.
Indians, the minister stressed, can learn from other countries about creative economy and overall stakeholders' participation.
"You go to Switzerland. Every citizen who comes across you will greet you, welcome you cheerfully. Everywhere you will feel that their sense of hospitality is so good. Here, no doubt we have the tradition of 'atithi devo bhava'. But for that tradition to become ingrained behaviour in every Indian, if we learn from others and bring India to that level, then there is no country like India,” he said.
“The Incredible India that the country is, will become Inevitable India,” he said. PTI KND VJ MIN
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