Tourism as Beacon for India's Growth by 2047: Gajendra Singh Shekhawat

At the ET World Leaders Forum, Tourism Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat highlighted tourism's vital role in India's development by 2047. He noted India's strides in infrastructure and economic growth, commending initiatives under Prime Minister Modi. Industry leaders echoed his views on tourism's potential and its impact on economy and job creation.

Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Minister of Tourism and Culture, underscored the pivotal role that the tourism sector will play in India's journey toward becoming a developed nation by 2047. Speaking at the ET World Leaders Forum on Saturday, Shekhawat stated, "By 2047 when India becomes developed, one of the big drivers of developed India will be the tourism sector."

Shekhawat highlighted India's monumental progress over the past decade, attributing it to strategic reforms and advancements in infrastructure spearheaded by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "The way India has developed its infrastructure, established new benchmarks across various sectors, and embraced cutting-edge technologies has transformed the global perspective towards our nation. Today, India is recognized as one of the fastest-growing economies in the world," he remarked.

Referring to Moody's recent rating as a testament to India's economic growth, Shekhawat also pointed to the massive scale of infrastructure developments, citing over 150,000 kilometers of new highways, the complete electrification of the rail network, and the introduction of advanced train systems like Vande Bharat. While India's tourism sector currently contributes 7.9% to the global economy, below the global average of 10.4%, Shekhawat sees significant potential for growth.

"The total number of inbound tourists in India is concentrated in just seven states. As we move towards 2047, tourism will be one of the key drivers of India's development," Shekhawat noted. Rajesh Magow, Co-founder and Group CEO of MakeMyTrip, echoed Shekhawat's sentiments, emphasizing India's growing global economic footprint. "India is on the world map as far as the economy is concerned. While domestic tourism is already on a growth path, international tourism is also accelerating," he added.

Puneet Chhatwal, Managing Director and CEO of The Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL), highlighted the integral relationship between infrastructure growth and the hospitality sector. "The single biggest beneficiary of the growth of infrastructure is hospitality. When hospitality grows, it creates a lot of jobs. It is the biggest job multiplier in the world," Chhatwal said.

Sandeep Ghosh, Group Country Manager for India and South Asia at VISA, discussed the emerging trends in health and wellness tourism. He mentioned, "Health tourism, wellness tourism is on the uptick. This is a huge opportunity for the government to leverage the Ayush initiative to grow this segment further."

Lakshyaraj Singh Mewar, Promoter of HRH Group of Hotels, praised the global recognition of Indian heritage hospitality, particularly by Tata and the Taj Group of Hotels. "An Indian company today has knocked on the doors of the World Forum as far as heritage hospitality is concerned, and it is none other than Tata and the Taj Group of Hotels," he noted.

(With inputs from agencies.)