India is poised for a vibrant growth in Tourism Sector. Domestic tourism is the lifeline for the people, who are engaged in the tourism related activities be it hotels, airlines, transporters, railways, restaurants, shopkeepers. It is a 24 hours economic activity in the country. People travel to pilgrim centers, tourist destinations, to participate in conferences, for visiting friends/relatives and events.
“India has been home to multiple religions, and is blessed with a diverse range of tourism offerings, be it the rich cultural heritage, historically significant monuments and milestones, stunning locations for flora and fauna, or culinary delights strong destination for budget-friendly travel, over the years.
Domestic tourism in India is fast becoming the second-largest travel market with billion plus planned domestic trips impending next year by the Indians. This number looks quite favorable in comparison to 5.7 million foreigners visiting the country or 18 million Indians making international trips each year. Domestic tourism is increasing on a large scale as more and more Indians are giving increased importance to their own culture and heritage. Now Heritage tourism is a big hit in comparison to what it was 5 years back.
While the places to see have largely remained unchanged, they offer a lot more today, and the way tourism in India is packaged, has evolved.
Popular places such as Agra, Delhi, and Jaipur (Golden Triangle), Kerala, Goa, and temples of Tamil Nadu, North-East (Assam, Sikkim) are always sought after destination among the domestic tourists. Products such as luxury Indian holidays, luxury train journeys, Buddhist circuit, and wildlife circuit, etc. are availed by the affluent segment. Other States those are becoming very popular in the tourism map are Odisha, Karnataka, Gujarat, Maharashtra, West Bengal. Cruise tourism is also catching up in India. North-Eastern States have an array of products and Govt is making all out efforts to boost tourism in that region.
With long weekends during the year, domestic destinations have become increasingly popular. There is great demand among the travelers specially the youth for destinations like Leh and Ladakh, Jim Corbett and Ranthambore, along with many unexplored locations.
The larger segments surround destinations of historical, natural, and cultural importance. Spiritual, rejuvenation and wellness tourism (spa and yoga), volunteering tourism (For eg. visiting village schools to teach students in one’s spare time), and pilgrimages, are the prime focus of domestic tourism in India. In terms of pilgrimages, it has even caught on with youngsters.
Sightseeing is one of the biggest pastimes in the country, where tourism is concerned. And bringing out the best for the domestic tourist are the country’s natural wonders, in the form of adventure tourism
Goa, Rishikesh, Himachal Pradesh, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and Leh and Ladakh, are among popular destinations for adventure such as wildlife safaris, high altitude trekking, forest hiking, camping, and rafting..
Increasing purchasing power of the middle-class, through economy package offers, better road and rail connectivity, better accommodation options, and evolving lifestyles, domestic tourist traffic is in fact one of the main drivers of growth in Indian tourism, which is getting more and more experiential.
Steps taken by respective state governments, along with the Centre, have boosted the sector. Proactive measures in the realms of skill development, marketing and advertising, and trade shows and campaigns, have sent the message home. Private Sector plays a vital role in the promotion of domestic tourism. Domestic tourism is the base of the tourism industry and it brings multiplier effect on the economy apart from strengthening national integration. Domestic tourism has crossed billion and it will be billion plus in the coming years due to its vibrant growth. Both State and Centre Governments should work together to get maximum prosperity to all regions. Better infrastructure, cleanliness & hygiene, safety & security etc are of important factors need to be looked into for the tourism growth.
Apart from earning valuable foreign exchange for the country Tourism also contributes to the country’s GDP.
The true test of R&D function lies in time to market. Business exists for the sake of making profits. So, the role of R&D in shortening the time to market becomes extremely important. Unless the R&D efforts in the lab cannot be scaled up within a reasonable time frame, little can be expected in terms of the functional credit to be assigned to R&D.
Our vision, for the growth of tourism sector.
