The Indian tourism and hospitality industry is in strong recovery mode due to a rise in demand and the easing of travel restrictions across the globe. The industry had struggled for two years due to COVID-induced restrictions. However, as scheduled international commercial flights resumed and travel picked up among domestic tourists, the industry saw a growth in flight bookings, even heading towards the pre-COVID levels of 4 lakh daily departures. As the summer holiday season approached, there was a 50% increase in advance bookings of air tickets. The industry also witnessed a 20-30% jump in forward bookings for international travel for the next two months. Some of the most popular international destinations were Maldives, Dubai, Thailand, and the United States. For domestic travel, states like Himachal Pradesh, Goa, and Rajasthan were the preferred destinations for tourists. There are nearly 64,000 departures on over 300 flights from the country abroad every day, which indicates recovery for international travel. The passenger count for domestic depar- tures is hovering around the 3.5 lakh mark per day, according to data from the Ministry of Civil Aviation. Moreover, hotel room tariffs across the country have been heavily discounted, proving to be an incentive for domestic passengers. This is because all types of travel, including business trips, vacations and social events, are in demand currently. The recovery, however, has been accompanied by a sharp jump in airfare rates. Rise in jet fuel prices and inflation in the transport and communication sector are creating roadblocks for the industry. However, it is still the fastest growing industry in the country, contributing to 6.8% of the country’s total GDP and creating 39 million jobs. However, the industry still faces workforce issues pertaining to gender inequality that need to be addressed. The hospitality industry has a noticeable trend of giving preference to men for senior positions and keeping women in junior positions, who often have to face prejudice and discrimination in many forms. Hiring more women in leadership roles, providing mentoring opportunities for them, and working to remove prejudices are important steps that the industry needs to take. Having diversity and inclusivity in the workplace is essential. This will be a catalyst to achieve further growth of the industry.
10 May 2022
Rupashree Ravi
