National Tourism Day is annually observed across India on January 25 to raise awareness and promote tourism for India’s economic and financial growth and development.
Aim:
The day aims to save national heritage and create popular tourist spots across India.
Background:
i. National Tourism Day was initiated by the Indian government in 1948 when the tourist committee was established.
ii. The Ministry of Tourism is responsible for promoting and growing tourism in India, which also involves collaborating with local, national, and international organisations.
Significance:
The day highlights the importance of tourism for India’s economy, which contributes 8.1% of employment and 9.2% of the nation’s overall Gross domestic product (GDP).
India Tourism:
i. India’s tourism sector is an integral pillar of the Make in India programme. It plays a role of significant economic multiplier and becomes critical since India has to grow at rapid rates and create jobs.
ii. India, with a score of 4.2, currently ranks 54th in World Economic Forum’s Travel & Tourism Development Index (2021).
- 4th in terms of Domestic visitor spending, World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC).
- 6th in terms of Travel & Tourism total contribution to GDP, WTTC.
iii. By 2030, India is expected to be among the top five business travel markets.
World Tourism Day:
United Nations (UN)’s World Tourism Day is annually observed across the globe on September 27 since 1980 to raise awareness among the international community of the importance of tourism and its social, cultural, political, and economic value.
- The date September 27 marks the anniversary of the adoption of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) Statutes on 27th September 1970.
About the Ministry of Tourism:
Minister- G. Kishan Reddy (Constituency- Secunderabad, Telangana)
Minister of State (MoS)- Ajay Bhatt (Constituency- Nainital-Udhamsingh Nagar, Uttarakhand); Shripad Yesso Naik (Constituency- North Goa, Goa)
