The outward movement of tourists from their home country to other destinations for vacation purposes is referred to as outbound tourism. Fresh data suggests that outbound tourism in India is set to exceed $42 billion by 2024. This prediction was given in a report titled ‘Outbound Travel and Tourism – An Opportunity Untapped’.
The Findings of the Report
India’s outbound travel market is one of the most rapidly expanding globally, with around 80 million passport holders demonstrating considerable purchasing power, particularly within the middle class. The growing economy, youthful population, and burgeoning middle class place India in a strong position to become a highly profitable outbound tourism market worldwide.
Europe is the destination for 20% of India’s outbound traffic, followed by Australia and New Zealand with 10%, while the remaining traffic is directed towards Southeast Asia. In comparison to the $22.9 billion spent in 2019, Indians spent roughly $12.6 billion on outbound journeys in 2021. While the decrease in spending could be attributed to the pandemic, these numbers highlight the immense value that can be derived from Indian outbound travellers.
Report Recommendations
The report suggests that the government could consider increasing direct connections to popular and emerging destinations and permitting foreign cruise vessels to operate in Indian waters. This would not only boost the outbound tourism market but also encourage both inbound and outbound tourism, creating additional revenue for Indian ports. Establishing bilateral relations with tourist-friendly nations would also benefit both inbound and outbound tourists.
Tourism Landscape in India
Historically, travellers were attracted to India due to its reputed wealth, as demonstrated by the visit of Chinese Buddhist Hieun-tsang as an example. Pilgrim travel flourished further with Emperors like Ashoka and Harsha building rest houses for pilgrims. After India’s Independence, tourism has always been a part of the Five Year Plans (FYP), with different forms of Tourism like Business Tourism, Health Tourism, and Wildlife Tourism etc., being introduced after the seventh FYP.
The Current State of Indian Tourism
According to a 2019 report by the World Travel and Tourism Council, India’s Tourism industry ranks 10th globally in terms of its contribution to the World GDP. It contributed 6.8% to India’s total economy in 2019, which is equivalent to Rs. 13,68,100 crore (USD 194.30 billion). As of now, India has 40 sites listed under the ‘World Heritage List’, making it the 6th highest in the world. The tourism sector accounted for 39 million jobs in FY20, which was 8.0 % of the total employment in the country, and is expected to account for about 53 million jobs by 2029.
Significance and Challenges within Indian Tourism
Indian tourism boosts the service sector and helps the nation earn foreign exchange. It encourages preservation of national heritage and environment, fosters cultural pride, drives infrastructural development, and promotes cultural diplomacy. However, the sector still faces several challenges including inadequate infrastructure, safety and security concerns, lack of skilled manpower, absence of basic amenities, and seasonality.
Tourism-Related Initiatives in India
Various initiatives have been undertaken to boost tourism in India, such as the Swadesh Darshan Scheme, National Mission on Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual, Heritage Augmentation Drive, Iconic Tourist Sites, Buddhist Conclave, and Dekho Apna Desh Initiative.