New Delhi, Aug 21: Leaving behind the shadows of terror, Pahalgam was fully sold out in July.
Union Tourism Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said Pahalgam has 18,000 rooms and not a single one was vacant in July.
“There is a surge in the tourism sector, and it is almost entirely driven by domestic tourists,” he said
“Domestic pilgrim tourism is rising not just because of new temple corridors that we have built,” Shekhawat said at an interaction organised by the Women Journalist Welfare Trust in New Delhi. “It is because of overall economic growth and disposable income in the hands of the poor.”
“Some tourism sites like Bali and Baku—popular destinations in Asia-Pacific and Central Asia—had a lower floor earlier, in terms of arrivals. That has grown in recent years, and it just makes it look like the tourism in other countries has grown exponentially compared to India,” Shekhawat said. “So it looks like they are doing better than us.”
The pressure, however, is in budget hotel facilities, he said. High-end foreign tourists are still coming, but it is the tourists who are looking for mid-range budget travel that are feeling the pinch, he explained.
“Many of these accommodations are booked because of domestic travel. Foreigners are not finding space because Indian travellers have booked them. We have to boost this capacity,” Shekhawat said. “The number of foreign tourist arrivals may look lower, but in terms of the number of days of stay, we are second only to the US. People visit India for a longer duration.”
He also said that in the next five years, India will see a big push to boost sports infrastructure, which will also augment travel. Today, tourism contributes over 13 per cent to India’s total employment, next only to agriculture. The sector contributes 5 per cent to the overall economy.
In the past decade, pollution and women’s safety problems have soiled India’s image as a welcoming destination for foreign tourists.
Shekhawat said pollution is mostly a New Delhi problem, and it doesn’t affect popular destinations such as Agra or Jaipur.
He remarked that narratives around women’s safety are often amplified by the country’s media and public conversations. He highlighted the advisories given to tourists who visit Italy and the shooting incidents in the US.
“We have formed the perception because we keep debating these incidents. One incident occurs, and TV channels go on and on. We are to blame. Nobody talks about problems in other countries as much,” he said. (With agency inputs)