Globally, he said, the entire tourism industry is going through a transition phase. “Today, there is a need to focus our energies on not just reviving the sector but making this sector one of the drivers to revive the economy. Digitalization can be the way forward to make the tourism sector attractive,” he noted.
Tourism, Mr. Reddy said, is not just about attractive destinations and leisure activities, but it has emerged as one of the fundamental pillars of economic development and employment generation. “It not only acts as a massive growth engine but also enhances the nation’s soft power. This dual pact makes it one of the most important sectors in the modern globalized economy,” he added.
Dr. Jyotsna Suri, Past President, FICCI & Chairperson, FICCI Travel, Tourism and Hospitality Committee & CMD, The Lalit Suri Hospitality Group, said that in the long term they are requesting that the travel tourism and hospitality sector become part of the concurrent list and that they are granted the infrastructure industry status so that they can avail of the benefits that other manufacturing and other industries get. She also urged the government that there should be no end date to the free tourist visas for up to 5 lakh tourists. “The ECLGS scheme has not has many takers because of the short timeline. We request that there should be a four-year moratorium followed by a four-year period for repayment,” added Dr. Suri.
Mr. Dilip Chenoy, Secretary General, FICCI, said that the travel, tourism, and hospitality sector that once contributed 9% to India’s GDP with an equivalent share in employment generation, has been facing heavy job losses and piling debt. “At this point, we need urgent intervention from the Centre in the form of a stimulus package and much-deserved ‘industry’ status,” he added.
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