India’s tourism and hospitality sector is poised for a significant expansion, with an additional 61.31 lakh workers required by 2036-37 to meet the rising demand, as per a report by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and EY.
The whitepaper, titled “Employment Landscape in Tourism and Hospitality in India,” was unveiled at the 18th Annual CII Tourism Summit. It offers a forward-looking analysis of employment trends, emphasizing the sector’s vital role in boosting economic growth and job creation.
The report projects a 1.2 times increase in spending within the sector by 2036-37, necessitating a workforce expansion of 46 lakh men and 15 lakh women. This underscores the sector’s pivotal role in fostering gender inclusion and workforce growth. Currently, tourism and hospitality account for around 8% of India’s total employment.
Despite the setbacks caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the sector has rebounded strongly, driven largely by a surge in domestic tourism. India’s tourism industry remains a key driver of economic growth, contributing significantly to GDP and foreign exchange earnings while being a major employment generator.
India’s global standing in tourism has also improved, with the country climbing to the 39th position on the World Economic Forum’s Travel & Tourism Development Index in 2024, compared to the 54th spot in 2021. In 2023, the sector’s direct contribution to India’s GDP surpassed $231 billion, making it the second-highest contributor to tourism GDP in the Asia-Pacific region.
To sustain this momentum, the report emphasizes the need for specialized skills in areas like digital marketing, sustainable tourism, and customer service. It advocates for the development of gamified Learning Management Systems (LMS) for professional growth and calls for collaboration with industry associations to create clear career advancement pathways.
The whitepaper also recommends establishing a dedicated taskforce under the Ministry of Tourism to standardize skills and education. It highlights the importance of incentivizing workforce participation, especially among women, while exploring emerging opportunities like medical tourism.
Furthermore, the report suggests forming a central tourism and hospitality body to address fragmented infrastructure, enhance operational efficiency, and streamline governance. A collective approach involving the government, private sector, and academic institutions is deemed essential to unlocking the sector’s vast potential.
(Inputs from ANI)
