Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, while inaugurating the virtual ‘Bharat Parv 2021’,a virtual festival festival this year, drew attention to the vast employment potential that the travel and tourism sector offers and insisted that serious efforts be made for the growth of the sector. The inauguration was also attended by Minister of State (Independent charge) for Tourism and Culture Prahlad Singh Patel.
Organised from January 26-31, ‘Bharat Parv’ is a festival showcasing country’s diverse culture, cuisines and handicrafts.
Observing that the COVID-19 pandemic has posed the greatest challenge for the tourism sector, Birla noted that despite the odds, the tourism sector has worked to turn this challenge into an opportunity. Emphasizing the potential of tourism sector in India, Birla said that the tourism sector is the only area that provides the largest number of employment to people.
Notably, the Lok Sabha Speaker stressed that if we wish to change the socio-economic conditions in our country, then it is essential that efforts be made for the growth of tourism sector. He also remarked that there is no state or district in our country that doesn’t have a distinct speciality of its own.
Also stressing on the sector potential for the country’s economy and employment, Patel said that the objective of ‘Dekho Apna Desh’ initiative of Ministry of Tourism is to encourage citizens to travel widely within the country and enhancing tourist footfalls, leading to development of local economy and creation of jobs at the local level. He said that the initiative is in line with the vision of the Prime Minister asking every citizen to visit at least 15 destinations by the year 2022 to promote domestic tourism.
Patel also pointed that while tourism was the most affected industry during the Covid 19 pandemic but positive attitude and effective planning of the government is helping this industry to rebound in a magnificent way.
