Deep Kalra’s prescription for reviving Indian tourism includes a ₹2,000-cr bill

livemint.com:

Mint ahead of the upcoming full-year budget for 2024-25. Simplifying the taxes and promoting Indian tourism in overseas markets more aggressively would revive interest in India among foreign travellers, said Kalra, also the founder-mentor of online travel platform MakeMyTrip. Edited excerpts from the interview: The country’s tourism sector has moved beyond the pandemic, and we expect inbound, domestic and outbound tourism to surpass 2019 levels by the end of 2024, but maintaining economic stability and controlling inflation will be crucial for sustaining India’s tourism growth.

The industry will also have to navigate a complex landscape, including geopolitical and economic uncertainties as well as the risks posed by extreme weather. Over the next five years, we will need to further intensify investments into improving infrastructure like transportation, accommodation, and tourist amenities to boost both domestic and inbound travel. With global inflation easing, incomes are expected to rise and as a result, disposable incomes.

This will lead to increased consumption and travel, and growth will be seen both in domestic and outbound international tourism from India. The tourism sector expects the full-year budget to address this key area. It is very important that there be an increased allocation of at least ₹2,000 crore for the ministry of tourism’s publicity and promotion budget.

It is essential since the funding can boost our overseas digital marketing campaigns to more travellers abroad and enhance the country’s visibility in important markets abroad. This will also support domestic campaigns to encourage Indians to explore lesser-known destinations. Yes.