The document summarizes current Indian tourism initiatives. It discusses how the Indian tourism ministry's budget has increased each year to promote tourism development. It outlines several projects to boost tourism infrastructure, promote cultural circuits, and provide training to improve tourism workforce skills. The ministry aims to establish India as a global filming destination and expand its visa on arrival program to attract more visitors.

1. Current Initiatives in Tourism
© Ramakrishna Kongalla,
Assistant Professor
Indian Institute of Tourism & Travel Management
(An Organization of Ministry of Tourism, Govt. of India)
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2. India’s Tourism Boom
• India –
– Charismatic past
– Vibrant present
– Promising future.
• A one-stop destination for all those who come
here to experience its judicious mix of
Culture, Heritage, Spirituality and Natural charms
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3. • Allocation for the Ministry this year is Rs.1297.66 crore
• Rs. 1210 crore in the Union Budget 2012-13
• Rs. 1110.96 crore in the Union Budget 2011-12
• Projection for 2012-2013 is Rs. 22800 crore
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4. • Allocation for North East region and Sikkim has
been hiked from Rs. 121 crore to Rs. 129 crore
• The allocation under this head in the Union
budget 2011-2012 was Rs. 110 crore.
• 1163 projects have been sanctioned for 11th FYP
till Dec.31, 2011
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5. • FTAs – India – 8.9% in 2013 (World – 4.4%)
• FTAs – 2012 First half – 8.3% (1.6 per cent in February 2013 over
February 2012)
• FEE - February 2013 is 19.8 % to 11.1 % in February 2012
• FEE - February 2013 were Rs.10,186 crores as compared to Rs.8,502
crores in February 2012
• 360 degree approach by focusing on infra-structure
development
– Building Rural Tourism
– Building Medical Tourism
– Better Online Presence
– Building MICE facilities – Business Tourism
– Cleaning and Hygiene on high priority
– Tourism to play critical role in employment generation and FEE
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6. Equipped for better future
• Ministry of Tourism focusing on the aspect of skill
development to meet the market demand for
Managerial and skilled service providers
• This reduces demand-supply gap and amplify
hospitality sector growth
• Two existing plan schemes for this by the govt. are :
– Scheme of assistance in
• Institutes of Hotel Management/Food Craft Institutes
• National Council of Hotel Management and Catering Technology
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7. – Need based capital assistance :
• Rs. 1200 lakhs to IHM & Rs. 475 lakhs to FCI to upgrade
infrastructure
• Rs. 200 lakhs to schools/colleges/universities offering
Tourism and Hospitality courses
• Rs. 25 lakhs to kendriya vidyalaya schools offering tourism
at +2 level for civil work and lab equipment
• Already 75 govt. institutes (24 institutes, 26 Schools, 4
polytechnic institutes, 14 Universities, 7 govt. colleges)
have availed this offer
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8. • Capacity Building for Service Providers (CBSP) for
skill up gradation of existing service providers and
training of new entrants is carried by:
– Ministry of Tourism
– Indian Tourism Offices
– Institute of Hotel Management
– Food Craft Institutes
– Indian Institute of Tourism & Travel Mgt.
– NCHMCT
– State/UT dev. Corporations
– ITDC
– State/Central Training and Academic Institutes
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9. • General skill development
• Up gradation
• Skill basic specialized skill development including
language courses
• Training of Teachers, Administrators & Planners
• Awareness programs about the benefits of tourism,
particularly in rural areas
• The entire cost incurred is funded by the central
government.
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10. • More than 1200 persons have been trained by
IHM, srinagar as tourist facilitators for conducting
groups of pilgrims to Vaishno Devi and Amarnath
• Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage
(INTACH) conducts training workshops for existing
guides at Delhi, Leh and Hampi and develops Heritage
Manuals and Guides
• Skill testing and certification of existing service
providers is implemented through 21 IHMs across the
country.
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11. • Indian institute of Tourism & Travel Management (IITTM) imparts
Tourism courses to college students under TT, IB & SS streams
• It also trains college students under the Ministry’s “Earn While
You Learn” program
• “Hunar se Rozgar” program is another program to impart
employable skills among the eighth pass youth between 18-
20yrs
• A special initiative of this scheme is also for differently-abled
youth are being trained.
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12. A Slice of India
• An endeavor to establish India as a filming destination
• MOT & Ministry of Info & Broadcasting entered in to
MOU to promote Cinema of India as a sub brand of
INCREDIBLE INDIA
• At various international film festivals and markets –
attracting for partnerships between Indian and global
film industry
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13. • THE RIGHT SPOT:
– Bollywood movies have promoted foreign destinations in
India the same tool will be used in vice-versa
– All tourism boards should facilitate film shooting in their
respective areas, identify and promote through films E.g.:
Life of Pi
• STEP-BY-STEP:
– To attract more film makers MOT would provide budgetary
support for participation in identified film festivals and
events.
– Promotion through content available in visual and print
designs, user generated content.
– The role of Indian movies and their mass appeal
– The role of international film events like Cannes, Goa, Berlin
etc.
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14. Hunar Se Rozgar
• Hunar Se Rozgar is an innovative solution for augmenting skilled
manpower
• This creates employable skills in young people of the age group
of 18-20 with min 8th std.
• With its pro-poor emphasis, this scheme imparts short term
training in housekeeping, bakery and Multi skilled course in
Food production
• The trainees are also paid a stipend
• MOT includes tourism at +2 level with the help of HRD ministry
to make future generations aware of it.
• It is about presenting India as an educated and skilled tourist
destination.
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15. Heading towards cleaner prospects
• The period 2001-2010 saw Compound Annual Growth Rate
(CAGR) of 9.6% and FEE growth by 18% standing at 14.19 billion
USD in 2010 alone
• The trend continued in 2011 too despite of global recession
• In 2011, FTA - 8.9% and FEE - 17.7%
• Indeed India is a brand now
• Tourists come here to experience nation’s rich Heritage and
Culture, Architectural marvels, Pristine beauty of its mountains
and greenery, open wild surroundings, wellness and health
centers and an endless of variety of Cuisines
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16. • India’s share in world market is just 0.64%
• To meet the magnitude of this conditions the MOT
launched
– Domestic awareness campaign under the brand of
“Athithidevo Bhava” for which Aamir Khan is the brand officer
since 2008.
– But social awareness campaign was not enough and after
study of 5 destinations having substantial tourist footfalls it
initiated a multi pronged action and comprehensive strategy
called “Campaign Clean India”
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17. • Sustainable development of tourism through
ownership and involvement of private and public
sector stake holders.
• Tourist destinations and their surroundings suffer the
lack of infrastructure, poor service delivery, deplorable
sanitation conditions, ineffective solid waste
disposable facility and the glaring absence of
hygienically maintained public amenities.
• Awareness programs regarding this programs
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18. Discover adventure
• Embracing the East Himalayan region from sikkim eastwards,
North East region of India has witnessed an increased influx of
tourists each year.
• People come here to experience its rich natural beauty, serine
environs, exotic flora and fauna and many incredible secrets
waiting to be spilled.
• MOT earmarks the 10% of the plan allocation to NER
• Ministry extends Central Finance Assistance (CFA) 5 crore to
state and 8 crore to UT destinations and circuits. This amount
goes up to 25 to 50 crores for mega circuits and projects
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19. • Infrastructure for adventure activities such as development of aero
sports, high altitude trekking, eco and adventure center, adventure tourism
infrastructure and eco adventure projects are all created under the
sanctioned CFA
• Also Heli-tourism is fostered by the MOT for inaccessible places in NER.
• 10th plan initiative to encourage rural tourism helping rural economy
• MOT also provides for construction of one convention center for state/UT to
promote MICE
• Complementary space to NER in Indian pavilions in all the famous trade fairs
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20. • Under the North East Industrial Investment Promotion policy
(NEIIPP) of 2007, hotel industries are entitled for capital
investment subsidy of 30% for creation of accommodation in the
districts close to World Heritage Sites, provided if they are
constructed and start functioning from April, 1, 2008 to march,
31, 2013
• MOT has relaxed Restricted Area Permit (RAP) / Protected Area
Permit (PAP) regimes in many circuits of Arunachal Pradesh and
Sikkim.
• NER and central govt. employees can avail LTC benefits when
visiting NER
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21. Spiritual Offerings
• The MOT has opened a new chapter by identifying the
potential in spiritual tourism and is all poised to
promote this sector in a planned way.
• Circuits of Hinduism, Sikkhism, Jainism and Buddhism
• Infrastructure, info centers and accommodation and
basic amenities in these circuits
• Workshops on Yoga and Ayurvedic practices are all a
part of promoting the religious realm of India
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22. • Development of Jain circuits during 12th FYP
– 1) Jodhpur-Bikaner-Udaipur-Chottorgarh-Nagaur
– 2) Bengaluru-Mandya-Hasan-Dakshin Kannada-Udipi
– 3) Muzaffarpur-Bhojpur-Patna-Nalanda-Girdihr-Navada-
Jamui-Banka-Bhojpur
– 4) Bhavnagar-Mehsana-Patan-Udaipur-Sirohi-Pali-Jaisalmer-
Jodhpur-Bikaner-Nagaur
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23. • Development of Sufi Circuits in 12th FYP
– 1) Delhi-Agra-Fatehpur Sikri-Ajmer
– 2) Mumbai- Aurangabad-Shirdi
– 3) Sufi circuit of Bihar
– 4) Hyderabad-Bijapur-Gulbarga
– 5) Dargahs of J&K, Punjab & HP
– 6) Sufi circuits of Awadh region
• Swadesh – Express connecting freedom movement
places – in Budget 2012-2013.
• Govt. is also targeting the Buddhist rich destinations of
Himachal, Odisha, Arunachal Pradesh, J&K, Sikkim and
Bihar
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24. Institutes
• MOT endeavoring to strengthen institutional
infrastructure to meet the market demand of
Hospitality
• Govt. has initiated scheme of assistance to institutes of
– IHM (21 Central and 13 state) Rs. 1200 lakh assistance
– FCI (7already in operation and 5 more to come at Almora,
Pali, Sawai Madhopur, Gulbarga, Rewa), Rs. 475 lakh
assistance.
– IITTM (5 in operation and 2 more to come in J&K and NER)
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25. Prepaid travel card for inbound tourists
• On Mar 11, 2013, Union Minister for Tourism, K Chiranjeevi launched the
'Incredible India Travel Card' at the recently concluded ITB Berlin.
• The card has been issued by Yes Bank in association with the ministry of
tourism as a value-add to the India's tourism campaign.
• This is a prepaid travel card in Indian rupee denomination for inbound
tourists.
• It can be pre-loaded with a value of up to Rs 50,000 at any given point of time
subject to basic KYC (Know Your Customer) procedures
• The card will be distributed through the bank's branches, Full-Fledged Money
Changers (FFMCs) and government recognised third party vendors such as
travel agents, hotels and airport kiosks.
• The 'Incredible India' card can also be used at any POS terminals and to
withdraw cash from ATMs across the country.
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26. Tourism Minister Proposes Extension of Visa on Arrival Scheme
• An independent study conducted by the Indian Institute of
Tourism and Travel Management (IITTM) has noted that VoA
scheme has a significant and positive impact on the decision to
travel to India.
• This scheme needs to be expanded to cover more countries and
more ports of entry.
• The Ministry of Tourism had proposed extension of VoA to
Germany, France, Spain, Poland, Sweden and Norway to cover
the European and Scandinavian countries which are key inbound
markets
• The Ministry of Tourism had also proposed extension of VoA to
more airports namely Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Kochi, Goa,
Bodhgaya and Trivandrum.
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27. • Acknowledgements & References:
– Union Budget 2012-2013
– The Hindu – June-17, 2012
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28. Thank You…!!!
©Ramakrishna Kongalla
e-mail: artist.ramakrishna@gmail.com
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