Why India’s Top Economist Says the Country Must Get ‘Its Act Together’ on Tourism
Photo Credit: India Gate in New Delhi. Pexels
Skift Take
When the loudest warnings are coming not from the industry but from policymakers, perhaps that might be a sign the sector deserves more than pocket-change budgets and last-minute attention.
India’s tourism sector has long been described as an underperformer. The promise is always there, but the outcomes rarely match it. And now, another prominent figure is saying this gap is becoming harder to ignore.
In a recent podcast, Sanjeev Sanyal, a member of the Prime Minister’s Economic Advisory Council, said India is “simply not doing anything much” when it comes to tourism. His remarks follow those of former G20 Sherpa and the man behind Incredible India campaign Amitabh Kant, who earlier this year argued that tourism should be treated as a national growth engine. Together, they represent a growing view inside the policy establishment that India is risking this opportunity.
India continues to attract far fewer foreign tourists than many smaller economies. Domestic travel is rising, but not being channeled into better-designed destinations at
