The tourism industry has widely expanded the scope of boost in the economy. Today on 25th January we celebrate National Tourism day. Our country already has many natural tourist attractions above which we have other human-made monuments that attract tourists as well.
National Tourism Day is celebrated to appreciate the beauty of our country and spread awareness about the importance of tourism. India’s wide range of ecosystems and rich cultural heritage have infused together to create a diverse range of tourism. Moreover, the ultimate range of religions and cultures has created a wide variety of options to explore.
National Tourism Day Significance
World Travel and Tourism Council has calculated a total revenue of Rs 13.2 lakh crore, contributing 5.8% to the Indian economy. However, the stats are still less than the numbers from pre-pandemic times. Even after the downfall, the country’s tourism sector is growing widely despite the adverse effects. India’s economy from tourism is expected to speed up at a rate of 7.8% to create a revenue of Rs 33 lakh crore by 2031.
The data below shows the revenue generated by tourism (1997-2020). (Source: Wikipedia)
| Foreign exchange earnings from tourism in India (1997–2020)[26] | ||||
| Year | Earnings (US$ million) | % change | Earnings (₹ crores) | % change |
| 1997 | 2,889 | 2 | 10,511 | 4.6 |
| 1998 | 2,948 | 2 | 12,150 | 15.6 |
| 1999 | 3,009 | 2.1 | 12,951 | 6.6 |
| 2000 | 3,460 | 15 | 15,626 | 20.7 |
| 2001 | 3,198 | −7.6 | 15,083 | −3.5 |
| 2002 | 3,103 | −3.0 | 15,064 | −0.1 |
| 2003 | 4,463 | 43.8 | 20,729 | 37.6 |
| 2004 | 6,170 | 38.2 | 27,944 | 34.8 |
| 2005 | 7,493 | 21.4 | 33,123 | 18.5 |
| 2006 | 8,634 | 15.2 | 39,025 | 17.8 |
| 2007 | 10,729 | 24.3 | 44,362 | 13.7 |
| 2008 | 11,832 | 10.3 | 51,294 | 15.6 |
| 2009 | 11,136 | −5.9 | 53,754 | 4.8 |
| 2010 | 14,193 | 27.5 | 66,172 | 23.1 |
| 2011 | 16,564 | 16.7 | 83,036 | 25.5 |
| 2012 | 17,737 | 7.1 | 95,607 | 15.1 |
| 2013 | 18,445 | 4 | 107,563 | 12.5 |
| 2014 | 20,236 | 9.7 | 120,367 | 11.9 |
| 2015 | 21,071 | 4.1 | 134,844 | 12 |
| 2016 | 22,923 | 9.1 | 154,146 | 14.3 |
| 2017 | 27,310 | 19.1 | 177,874 | 15.4 |
| 2018 | 28,586 | 4.7 | 194,881 | 9.6 |
| 2019 | 30,058 | 5.1 | 211,661 | 8.6 |
| 2020 | 6,958 | -76.8 | 50,136 | -76.3 |
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National Tourism Day: World Heritage Sites
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has declared some places as world heritages. These places have the importance of natural and cultural heritage. The map below shows the places marked as World Heritage in India. However. the data might not be up to date as the image shows places marked as world heritage until the ,year 2019.
Location of World Heritage sites in India
On the occasion of National Tourism Day, many famous people shared their wishes on social media and praised the beauty of diverse India.
Nature at its best: wild animals, stunning views, and the feeling of being up close with the 🐅! The more you explore India, the more there is to explore. Our country is so culturally rich and diverse that you can never have enough of it. Happy #NationalTourismDay! pic.twitter.com/y76XPEMznX
— Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) January 25, 2023
A State blessed by Maa Kamakhya, adorned by lush green tea gardens, traversed by one-horned rhinos & fed by the mighty Brahmaputra, Assam is a melting pot of nature, history and modernity.
On #NationalTourismDay, I call upon everyone to come and explore our #AwesomeAssam. pic.twitter.com/NZZ37H4ktc
— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) January 25, 2023
Wishing everyone a "Happy National Tourism Day". On this special day, let's take a moment and appreciate the beauty of our state-Arunachal Pradesh. #NationalTourismDay #incredibleindia #arunachaltourism pic.twitter.com/yXfvusRTuJ
— Pasang Dorjee Sona (@pasang_sona) January 25, 2023