Tourism to Reach 10% of GDP by 2047, Says Culture Minister

Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat outlined an aggressive roadmap for the tourism sector during a press interaction on Saturday. He reaffirmed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s target to raise tourism’s contribution to ten percent of India’s Gross Domestic Product by the sesquicentennial year of independence, 2047.

Current figures show tourism accounting for around six percent of the nation’s economic output. The minister argued that with continued improvements in infrastructure, streamlined visa processes, and promotion of India’s cultural and natural assets, the sector can capture a larger slice of the economy.

Shekhawat also stressed that tourism’s impact extends beyond revenue; it is a catalyst for job creation across hospitality, transport, crafts, and ancillary services. By 2023, the government aims to push tourism’s share to seven percent, setting the stage for the longer‑term goal of a ten‑percent contribution.

The minister’s comments underscore the administration’s broader narrative of rapid development, poverty eradication, and rising per‑capita income, all of which are feeding a growing appetite among Indians to travel within their own country.