New Delhi: Union Tourism Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said India is aiming to significantly expand its tourism sector in the coming decades, with foreign tourist arrivals targeted to touch 100 million by 2047.
Speaking to reporters on measures being taken to strengthen tourism, the minister cited 2023–24 data showing that tourism has provided direct and indirect employment to 84 million people across the country. With the economy growing rapidly, he said demand for travel is also rising.
Shekhawat said the sector’s contribution to India’s gross domestic product is expected to cross 7% by 2030. He added that tourism is poised to become the second-largest generator of employment after agriculture.
The minister also pointed to a changing global perception of India, but said misconceptions persist abroad about pollution and safety. He argued that pollution is limited to a few months and largely confined to Delhi, while other parts of the country remain clean, and urged citizens to adopt a more welcoming culture towards visitors, citing Switzerland as an example.
