Lok Sabha Question No. 3067 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-03-15
Subject: Proposal to Ensure Better Experience for Tourists
Ministry: TOURISM
Asked by: Mohanbhai Kalyanji Kundariya, Anil Firojiya, Dipsinh Shankarsinh Rathod

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF TOURISM

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.†3067 ANSWERED ON 15.03.2021

## PROPOSAL TO ENSURE BETTER EXPERIENCE FOR TOURISTS

- †3067. SHRI MOHANBHAI KALYANJI KUNDARIYA: SHRI ANIL FIROJIYA: SHRI DIPSINH SHANKARSINH RATHOD:

Will the Minister of TOURISM be pleased to state:

- whether the Government proposes to ensure better experience
- (a) for the tourists;
- (b)
- if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether  a  self-reliant  tourism-based  economy  is  likely  to generate gainful employment opportunities for the youth in the region; and
- (d) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE FOR TOURISM (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) (SHRI PRAHLAD SINGH PATEL)

- The Ministry of Tourism has taken several steps over the years to ensure a better experience for the tourists as per details
- (a) & (b): given below:
- i. Launched  the  Swadesh  Darshan  Scheme  with  a  vision  to develop theme based tourist circuits.
- ii. Launched the National Mission on Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual, Heritage Augmentation Drive (PRASHAD) Scheme for holistic development of identified pilgrimage destinations.
- iii. Identified  19  Iconic  Sites  in  the  country  for  development  by seeking convergence with other Central Ministries/Departments/ State Governments /Urban Local Bodies.
- iv. Launched  the  Adopt  a  Heritage  Project  for  development  and maintenance of tourist amenities at heritage sites/monuments and other tourist sites.
- v.
- Launched 24x7 toll free Multi-Lingual Tourist Helpline.
- vi. Providing  facility  of  e-Visa  for  5  sub-categories  i.e.  e-Tourist visa, e-Business visa, e-Medical visa, e-Medical Attendant visa
- and e-Conference visa for nationals of 171 countries.
- vii. E-Visa has been further liberalized and the visa fee has been substantially reduced.
- Certification Programme, a digital initiative that aims at creating an online learning platform with the objective of creating a pool of well trained  professional  tourist  facilitators  across  the  country  to
- viii. Launched  Incredible India Tourist Facilitator support tourists.
- ix. Conducting  Programmes  under  the  'Capacity Building for Service Providers' (CBSP)  Scheme  to  train and  up-grade manpower to provide better service standards.
- x. New mountain peaks have been opened for Mountaineering/Trekking to give boost to adventure tourism in the country.
- xi. Lowering  of GST  on  hotels rooms  with tariffs of ₹1,001 to ₹7,500/night to 12%; those above ₹7,501 to 18% to increase India's competitiveness as a tourism destination.
- xii. On the recommendation of the Ministry of Tourism, 46 tourism routes have been awarded to the identified airlines by Ministry of  Civil  Aviation  under  the  RCS  UDAN3  Scheme.  21  of  these routes have been operationalized till date.
- xiii. As  per Archaeological  Survey  of  India,  CNBs  signage  in Chinese language at following five monuments  in Uttar
- Pradesh have been installed.
-  Site  and  stupa  and  monastery  of  the  Sakyas  PiprahwaLucknow Circle
-  Sravasti - Lucknow Circle
-  Ancient Buddhist site of Sarnath- Sarnath Circle
- 
- Chaukhandi Stupa - Sarnath Circle
-  Buddhist  relics  and  Mahaparinirvana  temple  located  at Kushinagar- Sarnath Circle.

The CNB signage in Sinhali language at Sanchi monuments in Madhya Pradesh has also been installed.

(c) & (d): Tourism  sector  is  a  major  engine  for  economic  growth and  generation  of  employment  opportunities.  As  per  estimation  in accordance  with  3rd  Tourism  Satellite  Account  (TSA)  for  2017-18 and 2018-19, the contribution of tourism for both direct and indirect jobs in the country is given below:

|                                                    |   2017-18 |   2018-19 |
|----------------------------------------------------|-----------|-----------|
| Direct + Indirect jobs due to tourism (in million) |     80.54 |     88.72 |

Note: The above estimates have been updated using NAS 2020.

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