Tourism Industry Has Failed To Tell Politicians That We Are A Big Creator Of Jobs, Says Amitabh Kant

Kant called on the industry to ensure that the politicians are aware that 25 million jobs can be generated by the hospitality and tourism sector by 2030

India’s G20 Sherpa Amitabh Kant addressed the hospitality and tourism industry on Monday and urged them to highlight the employment-generating potential of the sector to the politicians to help push for better infrastructure and status for the industry. 

Addressing the 6th Hoteliers Conclave organised by the Hotel Association of India (HAI) in New Delhi, Kant called on the industry to ensure that the politicians are aware that 25 million jobs can be generated by the hospitality and tourism industry by 2030, reported PTI. “Somehow the tourism industry has failed to tell the politicians that it is a big creator of jobs, while agreeing with their demand for industry status. If you look at tourism, I think from a perspective of a political lens, the politician only understands one thing and that is how many jobs is the tourism sector creating. Tourism has a huge multiplier impact for every direct job that you create, you create seven indirect jobs, but I think somehow the tourism industry has failed to tell the politicians that we are a big creator of jobs,” the official said. 

Elaborating on employment opportunities in the sector, Kant noted that the tourism sector generates about 20 million jobs in Thailand, 15 million employment opportunities in Malaysia, and 7.8 million jobs in India. Replying to HAI leaders seeking Kant’s help in getting prominent status and development in infrastructure for the industry, the official said, “It will be worthwhile for the tourism industry to have a target of telling the political system across Centre and states that if you give attention to tourism we will create 25 million jobs by 2030 and it is doable target.”

“If the target is put before the political system that 25 million jobs will be created by the tourism sector, it will have a huge impact on the minds of the political system and they will do everything possible for tourism. To my mind that's the only language which will be understood that you should push at state level,” he noted. 

Kant expressed his agreement with the tourism sector’s demand for industry status and explained that the power tariff becomes elevated once a sector is considered a commercial one. He noted that the interest rates will surge if the tourism sector gets treated as an industry. “With the substantial high power tariff, the day-to-day operations of players are impacted. My view on that is very clear that all states must see every activity in every sector of the tourism industry (sector) as a industry. While 11 states have done it, many have not extended the full benefits of it to the players. The tourism sector is an industry because it is a very major job creator and pushing it as an industry will really help both at the Centre and state levels,” he added.