CHENNAI: The travel and tourism industry is fuelling an economic boost thanks to the addition of 25.9 million jobs in 2017, contributing $75.8 billion (around Rs 5 lakh crore) to the country’s gross domestic product.
According to a report by the Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Ficci) in association with KPMG India, travel, tourism and hospitality are among the key sectors of the Indian economy.
India has registered a steady growth rate of 15.6 per cent (year-on-year) in Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTAs) in 2017.
Mobile applications, social media, Big Data, Artificial Intelligence, and virtual/augmented reality are likely to shape the future of the travel industry, the report stated.
India is moving towards becoming a digitally-enabled tourist destination with rising smartphone and internet penetration, along with travel and tourism companies making use of technology.