65 tourism investors participate in 200 B2G meetings at '5th Tourism Investors Meet 2019'

NEW DELHI, July 2, 2019: India must enhance its value proposition and build a supportive infrastructure to double the foreign tourist arrivals (FTA) in the country, which remains at a low of 10 million despite significant improvement in travel and tourism competitiveness, as per a FICCI Knowledge Paper.

FICCI knowledge paper 'Indian Tourism Infrastructure: Investment Opportunities & Challenges', released yesterday at the '5th Tourism Investors Meet 2019' organized by FICCI, highlighted that the country needs to develop physical and digital infrastructure and have progressive legislation, apart from building demand among tourists.

India must enhance its "value proposition and foster a conducive environment" to welcome 20 million foreign tourists by 2023, said the knowledge paper, adding that the country needs to foster a tourist friendly environment and brand the country as a "must-discover" destination, highlighted the knowledge paper.

"As India develops its value proposition for each of its niche tourism markets, it should consider four key areas, namely, the location of the stay, the activities at the destination, the ability to arrive to and commute within the destination, as well as the ease of interaction with the service provider," it said.

India has tremendously improved its travel and tourism competitiveness in recent years, rising from 65th position in 2013 to 40th position in The Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Index Report 2017. It is estimated that 20 million FTA will add $20 billion to the foreign exchange earnings and create about one million new jobs.

Considering the need for private participation in building the required infrastructure to cater to the increasing number of tourists, both domestic and international, FICCI along with state-run international tourism campaign ?Incredible India? organized the two-day tourism investors meet.

Four states namely Odisha, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and West Bengal gave presentations highlighting their tourism investment policies, incentives offered to investors, various land banks and investible projects available in the states, and single window clearances and other related investment opportunities.

About 65 domestic and foreign investors from sectors like hotels and resorts, real estate developers, mega convention centre, airport and roadways developers, sound and light show organizers, Ayurveda and wellness centres, medical tourism, tech backed cab services, cruise and river tourism, adventure tourism, amusement park, film studios, sanitation and civic amenity developers and ropeways participated.

The investors took part in around 200 business-to-government (B2G) meetings that were held on the second day of the meet.