India’s tourism and hospitality sectors lack govt support: Mallikarjun Kharge

Alleging that the government's requisite support to India's tourism and hospitality sector is lacking, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on 25 January, Saturday, called for a collective effort to reform the sector, including filling the infrastructure gaps and aggressively promoting inbound tourism.

On National Tourism Day, Kharge said the country boasts of a rich diversity of natural beauty, ancient monuments, multitude of culinary traditions and multi-faceted cultures, making it an ideal destination for global travellers.

However, the true potential of India's tourism industry is far from being fully realised and foreign tourist arrivals in the country have remained well below the pre-Covid-19 levels, he said, adding that this is "extremely worrying".

Despite the Centre's stated commitment to revitalising this crucial economic segment, the requisite support and impetus have been lacking, a situation that demands immediate attention, Kharge said.

"Therefore on #NationalTourismDay, we urge for a collective effort to reform the sector, including filling the infrastructure gaps and aggressively promoting inbound tourism," he said.