Domestic tourism to be mainstay of tourism industry in post-Covid times: Patel

Culture and Tourism Minister Prahlad Patel on Thursday said domestic tourism would be the mainstay of the tourism industry in post-Covid times, highlighting the need to identify and promote unexplored and little known destinations in the country.

Culture and Tourism Minister Prahlad Patel on Thursday said domestic tourism would be the mainstay of the tourism industry in post-Covid times, highlighting the need to identify and promote unexplored and little known promote in the country.

Speaking at two separate events organised by industry bodies ASSOCHAM and CII, Patel said the ministry is looking to promote medical tourism and geo tourism in a big way.

“Corona is almost over now and whatever damage it had to do has happened. During this period, our steps brought a lot of good name for the country. Even foreigners preferred to stay back here and felt safe. Now the post-corona situation is one where our system of medicine, local cure and wellness methods are what could be best suited to deal with it. After corona, medical tourism is expected to rise and we must be prepared for this opportunity.

“Domestic tourism is the future. Unexplored, unexploited destinations have to be identified and promoted. Also, people are now preferring to go to tiger projects and other serene places to be with nature and not just big hotels, who will continue to have their own importance and preference for international events etc.,” he said at the ASSOCHAM’s virtual session on “Reviving the stressed sectors to support the post-Covid recovery for India”.

Rupinder Brar, Additional Director General, Ministry of Tourism, in her address, highlighted how domestic tourism grew from 128 crore to 2,322 crore visitors between 2014 and 2019, and has the potential to grow further.

“Domestic tourism is now happening in a more organic fashion as an organised vertical and has a lot of potential. India’s natural heritage has been rated the sixth greatest in the world by the World Economic Forum. In the post-Covid recovery, I would like to say that we truly are a blessed land. Having said that, we are not forgetting the global market too,” she said.

Speaking at the valedictory session of the CII’s annual tourism summit here, Patel reiterated the importance of domestic tourism and said the steps taken by the government during Covid have led to a change in the perception of India in the world.

“We need to look at what our role will be after the Covid pandemic is over and it is our responsibility that we meet our pre-Covid level position. The government is working on initiatives like a medical and wellness tourism board, guide training, skilling and Dekho Apna Desh,” he said.

Patel said the ministry has changed its publicity campaign by highlighting not just the destination, but the path leading to it as well. “Every stakeholder, whether private or government, will be promoted if they are contributing to the tourism industry. The ministry is open to suggestions on how to improve things. Also, we are as much a stakeholder in the sector as everyone else and if the industry does well, we will too,” he said.

It was indicated at the CII session that assessments based on recent demand projections state that the return to pre-Covid levels of international travel will be by the end of financial year 2024 and the sector will see a dip of about 90 per cent in financial year 2021.

(This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text.)

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