The Kaziranga National Park in Assam or the caves of Ellora and Ajanta in Maharashtra, India’s riches can be seen in its culture, architecture, heritage, food, traditions, and more. National Tourism Day, observed on January 25. The Day stresses the contribution of the tourism sector to the growth of the country.

National Tourism Day

India believes in the mantra of Athithi Devo Bharwa. India is a diverse country with various cultures and a rich history. It is also a popular tourist destination. As of August 2019, there are 38 World Heritage sites in India that are recognized by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

National Tourism Day aims at creating awareness among the people regarding tourism prospects. Its contribution to allied sectors is also unmissable. The theme of this year’s celebration is “Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav.”

Government’s Efforts

The government is hard at work in popularising tourism in the country. In his Independence Day speech, PM Narendra Modi pitched for domestic tourism and urged citizens to visit at least 15 local destinations by 2022. The government has not only been promoting rural/ domestic tourism through its initiatives like Dekho Apna Desh but also making India a popular destination for medical treatments. National Tourism Day 2022 : Celebrating India’s Rich Historic and Cultural Heritage.

The Ministry of Culture has also been collaborating with other Ministries and institutions to organize contests, explore the unexplored avenues of tourism, host webinars, and more. Its schemes like Bharat Darshan and Dekho Apna Desh have also increased the interest of tourists in our country. Furthermore, the Ministry often engages in social interaction and disseminates information regarding various tourists attractions which is helping in popularising those spots.

Boosting Medical Tourism

The objective of medical tourism is to promote India as a quality healthcare destination for people across the globe. The Indian systems of medicines, i.e. Ayurveda, Yoga, Panchakarma, Rejuvenation Therapy, etc. are among the most ancient systems of medical treatment in the world.

With the changing scenario and growing conversation on the importance of a healthy lifestyle, the popularity of yoga, and other traditional medical systems, India has huge prospects in medical tourism. In States like Kerala, health tourism is being promoted as one of the USPs of the State.

The Ministry of Tourism has included the promotion of medical tourism as a new initiative. In this direction, the Marketing Development Assistance Scheme (MDA), administered by the Ministry of Tourism, provides financial support to approved tourism service providers.  National Girl Child Day 2022 Images & HD Wallpapers for Free Download Online: Wish Happy Girl Child Day With WhatsApp Messages, Facebook Quotes and Status on Rashtriya Balika Diwas. National Tourism Day 2022 in India: Know Date, History, Significance and Celebrations Related to the Day Promoting Tourism in Country.

Tourism Sector’s Contribution to GDP

Apart from offering leisure, the sector is an important contributor to the country’s economy. In 2017, the direct contribution of travel and tourism to GDP stood at Rs 5.94 lakh crore. This is expected to grow at 7.1 per annum to reach Rs 12.67 lakh crore by 2028.

Further, the tourism industry generated 26,148,000 jobs directly in 2017, which is 5% of total employment, and grew by 2.8% in 2018 to reach 26,883,000 jobs. It is expected to grow at 2.1 per annum over the next ten years and account for 33,195,000 jobs by 2028.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 24, 2022 08:09 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).