Move from ‘Incredible India’ to ‘Inevitable India’, says Chhatwal
Infrastructure for tourism is a critical factor as the sector can be a game-changer by contributing about US$3 trillion to India’s journey of becoming a US$34 trillion economy, says Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Minister of Tourism & Culture http://tourism.gov.in.
He also highlighted the past 10-year progress such as key developments 150,000 km of roads, doubling of the number of functional airports, nearly complete electrification of railway tracks.
Further, he also pointed to the introduction of new-generation trains, and the identification of 102 inland waterways, adding that the availability of low-cost data has opened new avenues for tourism https://chaloindia.gov.in/.
Addressing the Inaugural Session of the 18th CII Annual Tourism Summit 2024, Shekhawat noted that the definition of tourism is changing, and India, already known for spiritual tourism and nature-based tourism, needs to embrace newer concepts to stay ahead http://unwto.org.
The Minister called for collaboration to identify gaps and work together to bridge them, adding that CII has a significant role to play in this endeavor.
Shekhawat highlighted that India has an edge over competing countries like Singapore, Thailand, Dubai, which are enjoying an influx of foreign tourists but these countries’ domestic potential for tourists is almost negligible https://www.globaltenders.com/.
India has a unique opportunity at an inflection point, moving from ‘Incredible India’ to ‘Inevitable India’, added Puneet Chhatwal, Chairman, CII National Committee on Tourism and Hospitality and MD & CEO of Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL).
He emphasized that tourism is not just about economic value and job creation, but also about cultural diplomacy, fostering deeper global connections https://ted.europa.eu/en/.
He shared his thoughts on India’s position in the global tourism landscape. He gave the example of Paris, which attracts 25 million international visitors annually, compared to India, which struggles to attract even 10 million foreign arrivals, despite its vast and varied offerings. Fiinews.com
