Challenges apart, India is coming back into vogue as a global tourist destination, according to Booking.com. One of the globe’s leading travel companies, it says foreign tourist arrivals in the country are seeing a strong recovery, with the country all set, it claims, to cross pre-Covid levels by next year.
The year 2023 saw 90 lakh foreign tourists coming to India, though this is short of the nearly 1.1 crore who came to the country back in 2019.
However, Booking.com focuses on the positive, on how foreign exchange earnings from tourism have increased by 17.6 per cent to $15.3 billion in the first half of this year, (an increase of 5.5 per cent compared to pre-Covid 2019).
The tourism surge will also lead to about 5.8 crore jobs across the country, with tourists expected to contribute more than half a trillion dollars to India’s economy in ten years’ time.
“Vision 2047 for Tourism aims to elevate India's inbound tourism by tenfold, positioning us as a premier global destination,” said Mugdha Sinha, director general (tourism), ministry of tourism. “With technology and big data as transformative drivers, we are not just upgrading infrastructure, but also leveraging tourist behaviour analytics to tailor our offerings. From wellness and adventure tourism to responsible travel, we are committed to delivering a seamless, enriching experience. Our focus on safety, hygiene, and connectivity ensures that every visitor experiences the best of India, driving both employment and GDP growth in the creative economy.”
The post-Covid travel surge is also throwing up several new trends, from new markets like countries in Central Asia to the Chinese (coming through Hong Kong), to the emergence of new tourist attractions beyond the conventional places of attractions and big cities, like Madikeri etc. coming up in popularity, according to Booking.com search analysis.
Tourism ministry expects the contribution of travel and tourism to the GDP to double by 2028 from this year.
“The growing appeal of India as a global destination is also reflected in India’s 39th rank on the World Economic Forum’s 2024 Travel & Tourism Development Index, up from 54th in 2021,” pointed out Santosh Kumar, country manager (India) of Booking.com. “As travellers seek authentic connections and immersive journeys, India's ability to offer a diverse range of experiences, from bustling cities to serene landscapes, is proving to be a major draw.”
Challenges persist, though, as the recovery since the pandemic has been far from satisfactory. While India remains price competitive for western travellers, it is no patch on the attraction of South East Asian countries like Thailand. Indonesia and Vietnam have also been emerging hot spots.
More worryingly, nearly one out of every three people surveyed voiced their fears about safety and security while visiting India, while a bigger number said they feared getting sick while visiting desi shores.