India will soon declare a national tourism policy and is also planning a global tourism investment summit, said Tourism Minister G Kishan Reddy. The new policy aims to make India a year-round destination, according to a report in Skift.
For a sector that will contribute $250 billion to India’s gross domestic product by 2030, a document reimagining the future of tourism is significant.
“Without private investment, we cannot become a global destination,” he said, adding the government is allowing 100 per cent foreign direct investment in tourism.
Speaking at the third G20 tourism working group meeting in Jammu and Kashmir’s Srinagar, Reddy said the tourism ministry is working closely with all the other ministries and state governments to encourage tourism.
The new national tourism policy for the country has been in the making for almost two years, with the current one dating back to 2002. The policy would help lay down a framework to make India more competitive in the international market, at a time when the world is reopening to tourists. It aims to increase visitation, stay and spend and make India a year-round destination, besides creating jobs and opportunities in the sector. Last month, Tourism Secretary Arvind Singh highlighted India’s plans to open up to 50 new tourism destinations, promote green tourism, launch a publicity campaign in overseas markets and operationalize 59 new air routes this year.
