Latest news with #WorldTravel&TourismCouncil
Time of India
7 hours ago
- Business
- Time of India
Tourism hits Rs 22 lakh crore runway — India's travel boom ready for takeoff
Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Popular in Services 1. India's international visitor spend soars to record highs: WTTC The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) is forecasting a 'record-breaking' year for India's travel and tourism sector this year, with its economic contribution set to reach over '22 lakh crore in 2025, whilst employment in the sector is expected to reach more than 48 visitor spending is expected to reach '3.2 lakh crore, whilst spending from domestic travellers is set to hit '16 lakh stated that by 2035, travel and tourism's contribution to the economy is forecast to almost double, at just under '42 lakh crore, with the sector employing almost 64 million released on Tuesday from WTTC showed that international visitor spends in India reached a record '3.1 lakh crore in 2024, 9% above the previous peak of to WTTC's latest Economic Impact Research (EIR), while domestic travel has remained a 'vital force', with spending soaring to '15.5 lakh crore, (22% above 2019 levels), the revival of international tourism is now propelling the sector into a 'bold' new era of and tourism contributed almost '21 lakh crore to the Indian economy last year, 20% more than 2019 sector also supported an all-time high of almost 46.5 million jobs, equivalent to 9.1% of total employment across country also welcomed 20 million international visitors in 2024, 2.3 million more than while overall international visitor numbers went up considerably last year, as per WTTC research, the numbers and the growth, compared to pre pandemic levels, seem to have been driven considerably by visits by non-resident Indians. As per data released by the ministry of tourism, India received more than 9.65 million foreign tourists in calendar year 2024, rising 1.4% from 9.52 million in 2023 but declining 11.6% from 10.93 million in said it calls for continued investment and targeted policy support, and would urge the government to reconsider its recent decision to reduce funding for overseas tourism promotion."India's travel & tourism sector is experiencing unprecedented growth, with international visitor numbers now at record highs after a period of strong domestic reliance. We strongly support the government's plans to simplify the e-visa process. Making it easier to visit India is one of the fastest ways to unlock further international arrivals and spending," said Julia Simpson, president and CEO, WTTC. "While visa on arrival and e-visa systems are in place, reciprocal policies and long delays for key markets like the US, where appointments are reportedly unavailable until 2026 continue to hinder tourists," she global tourism body's research also reveals India's business travel is experiencing record growth, with combined domestic and international spending hitting '1.1 lakh crore last year, surpassing the 2019 peak by 2.6%.The council said India is 'well-placed' to become one of the world's most dynamic tourism economies, with its dynamic mix of heritage, natural beauty, and modern innovation, and that it calls on the government to match the sector's resilience and ambition with 'clear', 'consistent' policy support.
Economic Times
9 hours ago
- Business
- Economic Times
India's international visitor spend soars to record highs: WTTC
Live Events (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel The World Travel & Tourism Council ( WTTC ) is forecasting a 'record-breaking' year for India 's travel and tourism sector this year, with its economic contribution set to reach over Rs 22 trillion in 2025, whilst employment in the sector is expected to reach more than 48 visitor spend is expected to reach Rs 3.2 trillion, whilst spending from domestic travellers is set to hit Rs 16 stated by 2035, travel and tourism's contribution to the national economy is forecast to almost double, to reach just under Rs 42 trillion, with the sector employing almost 64 million released Tuesday from the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) released Tuesday stated that international visitor spends in India reached a record Rs 3.1 trillion in 2024, 9% above the previous peak of to WTTC's latest Economic Impact Research (EIR), while domestic travel has remained a 'vital force', with spending soaring to Rs 15.5 trillion, (22% above 2019 levels), the revival of international tourism is now propelling the sector into a 'bold' new era of and tourism contributed almost Rs 21 trillion to the Indian economy last year, 20% ahead of 2019 sector also supported an all-time high of almost 46.5 million jobs, equivalent to 9.1% of total employment across country also welcomed 20 million international visitors in 2024 - 2.3 million more than while overall international visitor numbers went up considerably last year, as per WTTC research, the numbers and the growth compared to pre pandemic levels seems to have been driven considerably by visits by non-resident per data released by the ministry of tourism, India received more than 9.65 million foreign tourists in calendar year 2024, rising 1.4% from 9.52 million in 2023 but declining 11.6% from 10.93 million in said it calls for continued investment and targeted policy support, and would urge the government to reconsider its recent decision to reduce funding for overseas tourism promotion.'India's Travel & Tourism sector is experiencing unprecedented growth, with international visitor numbers now at record highs after a period of strong domestic reliance. We strongly support the government's plans to simplify the e-visa process. Making it easier to visit India is one of the fastest ways to unlock further international arrivals and spending,' said Julia Simpson, WTTC President and CEO. "While visa on arrival and e visa systems are in place, reciprocal policies and long delays for key markets like the US, where appointments are reportedly unavailable until 2026 continue to hinder tourists," she global tourism body's research also reveals India's business travel is experiencing record growth, with combined domestic and international spending hitting Rs 1.1 trillion last year, surpassing the 2019 peak by 2.6%.The council said India is 'well-placed' to become one of the world's most dynamic tourism economies, with its dynamic mix of heritage, natural beauty, and modern innovation, and that it calls on the government to match the sector's resilience and ambition with 'clear', 'consistent' policy support.
Time of India
9 hours ago
- Business
- Time of India
India's international visitor spend soars to record highs: WTTC
India's travel and tourism anticipates unprecedented growth. The sector's economic contribution may reach Rs 22 trillion in 2025. It is expected to generate over 48 million jobs. International visitor spending could hit Rs 3.2 trillion. Domestic travel remains strong, propelling the sector forward. The government is urged to simplify e-visa processes. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads The World Travel & Tourism Council ( WTTC ) is forecasting a 'record-breaking' year for India 's travel and tourism sector this year, with its economic contribution set to reach over Rs 22 trillion in 2025, whilst employment in the sector is expected to reach more than 48 visitor spend is expected to reach Rs 3.2 trillion, whilst spending from domestic travellers is set to hit Rs 16 stated by 2035, travel and tourism's contribution to the national economy is forecast to almost double, to reach just under Rs 42 trillion, with the sector employing almost 64 million released Tuesday from the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) released Tuesday stated that international visitor spends in India reached a record Rs 3.1 trillion in 2024, 9% above the previous peak of to WTTC's latest Economic Impact Research (EIR), while domestic travel has remained a 'vital force', with spending soaring to Rs 15.5 trillion, (22% above 2019 levels), the revival of international tourism is now propelling the sector into a 'bold' new era of and tourism contributed almost Rs 21 trillion to the Indian economy last year, 20% ahead of 2019 sector also supported an all-time high of almost 46.5 million jobs, equivalent to 9.1% of total employment across country also welcomed 20 million international visitors in 2024 - 2.3 million more than while overall international visitor numbers went up considerably last year, as per WTTC research, the numbers and the growth compared to pre pandemic levels seems to have been driven considerably by visits by non-resident per data released by the ministry of tourism, India received more than 9.65 million foreign tourists in calendar year 2024, rising 1.4% from 9.52 million in 2023 but declining 11.6% from 10.93 million in said it calls for continued investment and targeted policy support, and would urge the government to reconsider its recent decision to reduce funding for overseas tourism promotion.'India's Travel & Tourism sector is experiencing unprecedented growth, with international visitor numbers now at record highs after a period of strong domestic reliance. We strongly support the government's plans to simplify the e-visa process. Making it easier to visit India is one of the fastest ways to unlock further international arrivals and spending,' said Julia Simpson, WTTC President and CEO. "While visa on arrival and e visa systems are in place, reciprocal policies and long delays for key markets like the US, where appointments are reportedly unavailable until 2026 continue to hinder tourists," she global tourism body's research also reveals India's business travel is experiencing record growth, with combined domestic and international spending hitting Rs 1.1 trillion last year, surpassing the 2019 peak by 2.6%.The council said India is 'well-placed' to become one of the world's most dynamic tourism economies, with its dynamic mix of heritage, natural beauty, and modern innovation, and that it calls on the government to match the sector's resilience and ambition with 'clear', 'consistent' policy support.
Mint
11 hours ago
- Business
- Mint
India's tourism boom: Sector to double to ₹42 trillion by 2035, driven mainly by domestic travel, says WTTC
Travel and tourism will contribute almost ₹42 trillion and about 64 million jobs to India's economy by 2035, but the country will need to invest more heavily in infrastructure and destination marketing to stay competitive and maintain the growth momentum in the sector, the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) said. The sector has bounced back, with international visitor spending touching an all-time high of ₹3.1 trillion in 2024, beating pre-pandemic levels, according to new data from the WTTC. Domestic travellers pushed the total spending within the country to ₹15.5 trillion last year, up 22% from 2019, according to the council's latest Economic Impact Research. The report shows a significant recovery in international travel following the pandemic, which had shifted focus largely to domestic tourism. WTTC president and CEO Julia Simpson, who's in India this week, told Mint that India has what it takes to become one of the world's most exciting travel economies—but now's the time to market it better. Also Read | Foreign tourists return to Taj Mahal, but India's international tourism still trails 'It's important for India to tell its story to the world," Simpson said. "There is a call for spending more on marketing the country and some people are concerned there is not enough marketing spends but I'm confident that India will do that because it's very important, as a country grows its infrastructure, to start telling its stories, of new destinations that people can travel to and so on. There are destinations in India that are already very sophisticated, and people come to them, but you need to market the new ones." She said she is confident India will invest more in infrastructure and destination marketing. The London-based council, which represents over 200 CEOs of the world's top travel and tourism companies, said India is on track to become one of the world's most dynamic tourism economies in the next decade or so, led by domestic travellers. But it also stressed that consistent policy support and stronger global marketing will be key to sustaining that growth. Growth momentum It added that in total, the sector contributed almost ₹21 trillion to the country's GDP in 2024—about 6.6% of the economy—and supported a record 46.5 million jobs. By comparison, tourism and culture minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat had told the Lok Sabha in November 2024 that tourism accounted for a combined 5% of India's GDP in 2023—2.6% through direct contributions and 2.4% through indirect impact. The momentum is expected to continue. WTTC projects the sector's contribution will rise to over ₹22 trillion in 2025, with jobs crossing 48 million. India hosted 20 million international visitors in 2024—an increase of 2.3 million since 2019. Business travel, too, showed signs of a revival, reaching ₹1.1 trillion last year—2.6% higher than its 2019 peak. Also Read | In charts: India's tourism sector stands at a crossroads Simpson said India's greatest asset right now is its robust domestic travel base. 'India has a very, very strong domestic travel market, similar to China and the US, and domestic markets are actually very important to the growth of tourism of a sector because it gives a lot of resilience to the sector. All big economies need strong domestic figures," she said. She also pointed to the rise in high-spending Indian-origin travellers. 'It's a very significant and serious economy now and so many countries globally are now vying for Indian tourists, who also become their own brand ambassadors and bring in more travellers," she said Simpson added that Thailand and Vietnam market themselves so well compared with other countries and India is going to do it "in its own way as it is a very significant and serious economy." 'I'm very positive about India. More people will come as the economy grows," she said. Seamless travel The country has also taken steps to make travel more seamless for many countries, she said, though it still trails regional peers in visibility and global promotion, also because India's international marketing budgets or the Incredible India campaign now has a negligible ₹3 crore for this fiscal year. 'But investing more on that side is worth it. It's not just about the seamlessness of it but also that it indicates to the traveller how sophisticated and innovative you are as a country," she added. In 2023, the sector had already begun to recover, contributing ₹16.5 trillion to the country's GDP, with domestic spending at ₹12.6 trillion and international visitors contributing ₹2 trillion. Employment in the sector reached 39 million, WTTC said. Also Read | This hotel chain doubles down on spiritual tourism, luxury & metro hubs What's changed since then is the scale. But the WTTC cautioned that the next decade won't see the same sharp spikes. International visitor spending in 2025 is projected to rise to ₹3.2 trillion—just ₹10,000 crore more than this year. Business travel, while improving, is still only inching forward. This week, the council and its India chapter, WTTCII signed another memorandum of understanding to strengthen their ties for future collaboration and possibly host a global summit in India in the next few years.
Mint
6 days ago
- Politics
- Mint
FIFA World Cup 2026: Will US hostility trump its hospitality?
Not long after Los Angeles (LA) was selected as one of 11 American cities to host next summer's FIFA World Cup, tourism officials started predicting the potential economic impact. Among the most optimistic? That the weeks-long tournament could pour almost $600 million into the local economy, mostly from international fans of football. Pessimism has since taken over. At a time when the US should be preparing to roll out the proverbial welcome mat to the world, President Donald Trump's erratic immigration policies and draconian rhetoric are instead scaring tourists away. Also Read: Trial by Trump: Ramaphosa may well have emerged stronger from the Oval Office Stories abound of travellers with visas in hand being denied entry at the border over minor infractions or, in some cases, being held for weeks before being allowed to return home. The World Travel & Tourism Council, pointing to the Trump administration, recently projected that spending on international trips to the US would reach only $169 billion this year, down $12.5 billion compared to 2024 and well below the 2019 peak of $217 billion. Travel from Canada is down for the third straight month. Numerous countries, including Germany, have issued travel advisories warning their citizens to strictly follow the United States' tighter rules for entry, or risk being detained. Trump, however, appears unconcerned. During his visit to Qatar, where the previous World Cup was held, he insisted that next year's tournament— billed as the largest ever, with 48 teams playing matches in the US, Mexico and Canada—is 'going to be really exciting." Also Read: Race in Trump's America: One step forward and two steps back Meanwhile, his Homeland Security secretary Kristi Noem has promised that travel for tourists 'will go smoothly." FIFA President Gianni Infantino, a long-time Trump ally, has claimed that the world is welcome in America. 'This doesn't come from me. This comes from the American government," he told the FIFA Congress. Such empty boosterism hasn't gone over well in LA, the US city with arguably the most at stake when it comes to sports tourism. Not only is it hosting eight World Cup matches, including the high-profile men's opener, it's also on the hook to host the Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2028. Planning is well underway for both mega events, which, so far, have largely been funded with sponsorship and licensing deals. However, taxpayers and the city's depleted coffers will be on the hook if there are cost overruns, which is usually the case. Also Read: Euro Cup 2024: Corporate boardrooms should tune into football Of the last 14 World Cups, all but two ended up in the red for their host countries, researchers from the University of Lausanne found. And with the Olympics, most host cities usually exceed their budgets and fail to recoup their expenses. London broke even in 2012 and that was considered a success. Hotels and restaurants, flush with customers, tend to turn a profit during mega events. But with many expecting the Trump administration's policies to act as a tourism deterrent, exactly how much profit is now in question. This was the gist of a heated debate before the Los Angeles City Council recently, as tourism officials and business leaders objected to a plan to ramp up the minimum wage for hotel and airport workers to $25 per hour in time for the World Cup and to $30 per hour in time for the Olympics. 'An overwhelming majority of visitors from our key international markets now have an unfavourable view of the United States as a travel destination," warned Adam Burke, president of the Los Angeles Tourism and Convention Board, citing the projected slowdown in international travel, which is already being felt in California resort towns, such as Palm Springs. 'The 2025 outlook is not encouraging," Burke added. Also Read: Mint Quick Edit | Trump's $5 million price tag on a US visa is no big shock Also of concern is whether the Trump administration even has the resources to quickly process millions of applications for tourist visas, and, if so, whether it has the patience to manage the flow of fans and players repeatedly crossing into Mexico and Canada during the World Cup. To this, US Vice-President J.D. Vance recently joked—at least, I think it was a joke—that the US wants tourists to 'watch the game. But when the time is up, they'll have to go home. Otherwise, they'll have to talk to Secretary Noem." Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, meanwhile, encouraged tourists to take a road trip, but 'don't overstay your visa." Such comments are unlikely to inspire confidence in any would-be tourists. As Adam Sacks, president of the research firm Tourism Economics, recently told the New York Times: 'The brand of the country has taken a beating." It seems the bruises will show up first in Los Angeles . ©Bloomberg The author is a politics and policy columnist for Bloomberg Opinion.
