Travel, tourism sector to add 5.82 cr jobs by 2033

India’s travel and tourism sector will experience significant growth, with an estimated addition of 5.82 crore jobs by 2033. Despite the challenges presented by the pandemic, the sector remained resilient and accounted for 39 million jobs in 2020, constituting 8% of the total workforce in the country. Following the pandemic recovery, the sector experienced a swift resurgence, with talent demand in tourism surging by 44% in August 2023 alone. It is expected that 1.6 million jobs will be added in the same year.

Travel and tourism significantly contribute to India’s economy, generating INR 15.9 lakh crore in 2022, with an estimated contribution of INR 16.5 lakh crore in 2023. The top states that attract domestic tourists are Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Maharashtra. At the same time, cities like Delhi NCR, Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Pune have witnessed a surge in hiring. The sector’s transformation is evident, with emerging subsets such as destination wedding travel, religious tourism, adventure sports tourism, ecotourism, cultural tourism, and rural tourism gaining traction. Sustainable tourism, valued at US$ 180 billion globally, has also seen significant adoption.

The travel and tourism sector has created key job profiles that have experienced year-on-year surges, including sales, business development, chefs, travel consultants, tour operators, travel agents, hoteliers, guides, wildlife experts, and transportation providers. Companies are increasingly adopting the gig model to address talent shortages, with a 14% increase in gig roles within the travel and tourism sector since January 2023. Positions such as translators, photographers, and tour guides are expected to grow further, with an anticipated 18-20% increase in the next two years.

Source: Economic Times