New Delhi – Former G20 Sherpa and CEO of NITI Aayog, Amitabh Kant, has identified India's travel and tourism sector as the nation's most significant driver of employment, despite its current neglect. Speaking at the Business Today India@100 event, Kant urged a strategic focus on this "soft sector" to unlock its full potential for job creation.
Boosting Travel and Tourism
During the session titled 'The Future of Make in India', Kant emphasized the critical need for India to improve its global competitiveness in tourism. "It is the biggest driver of jobs. It is a neglected sector but a very important sector,” he stated, highlighting the disparity where many Indians travel abroad while the influx of foreign tourists remains comparatively low.
Kant underscored the importance of developing a robust tourism infrastructure and experience to attract more international visitors. He noted that while India has made strides in various sectors, addressing the challenges within travel and tourism is crucial for sustained economic growth and widespread job opportunities.
Addressing Manufacturing & Economic Challenges
Beyond tourism, Kant also touched upon broader economic strategies for India's future. He stressed the importance of manufacturing-led urbanization and enhancing manufacturing competitiveness. This includes accelerating defense manufacturing to encourage technological inflow, advancing the space sector, and investing in human capital through improved skills and outcome-oriented education.
Kant further elaborated on the necessity of reducing the cost of doing business in India to compete globally. He pointed out high electricity costs due to inefficient discoms, the elevated price of land, and the need for a drastic reduction in logistics costs, particularly improving last-mile delivery infrastructure from railway stations to ports. Energy independence was also cited as a critical issue, advocating for an increased pace of renewable energy adoption to mitigate pressure on the local currency.