According to the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), India was ranked 10th among 185 countries in terms of travel & tourism’s total contribution to GDP in 2019. As of 2022, the contribution of India’s travel and tourism sector to the country’s economy stands at Rs. 15.9 trillion (US$ 191.25 billion).
WTTC forecasts that over the next decade, India’s Travel & Tourism GDP will grow at an average rate of 7.8% annually. In 2020, the Indian tourism sector accounted for 39 million jobs, comprising 8% of the total employment in the country.
By 2021, the travel & tourism industry’s contribution to the GDP reached US$ 178 billion, with expectations to reach US$ 512 billion by 2028. Anticipated job creation in the industry is projected to be about 53 million by 2029. The direct contribution of the industry to India’s GDP is expected to record an annual growth rate ranging from 7% to 9% by 2030.
However, according to the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI), the strength of the sector in India lies in consumption by domestic tourists.
Domestic visitor spending across India in 2021 amounted to about 151 billion U.S. dollars, marking a significant increase compared to the previous year following the onset of the coronavirus pandemic and subsequent lockdown. In that year, India ranked fourth worldwide in terms of domestic travel and tourism expenditure.
The Government of India is investing thousands of crores of rupees to further boost the tourism industry. Nagaland State Tourism Commissioner & Secretary I Kitto Zhimomi noted that Nagaland missed out on the industrial and green revolutions but should capitalize on joining the bandwagon of the tourism sector. Everyone agrees with this perspective; the only question is how to achieve it.
Meanwhile, what must Mokokchung do to reap the benefits of the growing tourism industry in India? Can Mokokchung become the next sought-after hill station in India? It is about time we had a brainstorming session on the prospects of tourism in Mokokchung.