Every year, 25th January is observed in India as the National Tourism Day, an incredible practice to spread awareness of the importance for traveling and protecting nature. The day, established by the government, also aims to highlight the role of the tourism sector in the country's overall economy.
The theme for National Tourism Day 2022 is “Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav.”
It was in 1948 that a Tourist Traffic Committee came into being to promote tourism. The first regional centers of the body were set up at Delhi and Mumbai, later in 1951, more offices were opened in Kolkata and Chennai.
A separate department specially catering to tourism was established in 1958 under the Ministry of Tourism and Communication and was headed by the Deputy General in the rank of Joint Secretary.
India is one of the oldest civilizations in the world which holds sights from history, mythology, culture and much more to attract travel enthusiasts. With the presence of beautiful, must visit locations across the landscapes of the nation with rich heritage, India is one among the most popular tourist destinations in the world.
According to the World Travel & Tourism Council, tourism supported 39.5 million jobs or 7.7 per cent of its total employment. Every year, the country is visited by millions of foreign tourists.
The tourism industry generated 247.3 billion dollars in 2018, contributing to 9.2 per cent of the country’s GDP, according to a FICCI-YES Bank report of 2019.
However, the COVID-19 Pandemic has most effected this sector in the world, as traveling became a risk due to the spread of the virus.
