Information and tips on Tourism as an industry in India
Industry plays an important role in the economy of any country. Growth of industrial sector is the parameter to measure the economic development of a country particularly the developing country like that of India. Tourism is now rightly added to the long list of established industries. It has tremendous economic and social potentiality because it generates income and employment opportunities, particularly foreign exchange which is earned more easily and brought in by the tourist himself to his destination. The contribution of this tourism industry to the regional development of the trade, commerce and manufacturing sectors, tax revenue to the government and the national income of the country as a whole is undisputed. It is mainly a labour intensive industry, providing employment to the semi-skilled and the unskilled. For example, as per the cost benefit study of tourism, made by the National Council of Applied Economic and Resarch, New Delhi (Swan Tours – tour and travel agency in india), tourism generated employment for 934000 persons in 1972-73. This figure rose to 64, 09,000 in 1978. This increase in employment stimulates education at different levels. The newly created jobs demand a special schooling and subsequently the standard of general education as a whole comes to a higher level.
In 1929 the world travel revenues were estimated at 30,000 million dollars which worked out to 2% of world product. By 1976′, this amount rose to 450 thousand dollar which is about 6% of world product. These figures speak of the growth and importance of the tourism industry. Besides generating income and employment opportunities, the development in tourism gives an impetus to social relationships. The tourism industry plays a positive role in the field of both interstate and international relationships. It brings about regional as well as international understanding. Tourism industry brings and joins the people of different cultures, religions, languages, etc. Thus it provides them an opportunity to share their ideas which is very important to all countries.
In 1990 the number of world travelers was 429 million and they spent over US $ 249 billion. Direct employment in tourism industry was 112 million and the indirect was much more. In India, the number of domestic tourists was estimated at 62.3 million in 1990. Foreign tourists, in the country during the same period were 1.71 million who spent Rs. 2440 crore in terms of foreign exchange. During 1991-92, the foreign exchange earnings were about Rs. 3500 crore. During 1989-90, the tourism industry in India generated direct employment of 5.5 million persons and another 8 million were employed indirectly.
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