Thiruvananthapuram

PrimeMinister Narendra Modi's call urging Indians to increasingly choose destinations within the country for leisure travel, conferences, weddings and events has opened up a major economic opportunity for India's tourism and hospitality sectors, according to the Hotel Association of India (HAI).

The industry body said the Prime Minister's push for domestic tourism comes at a crucial time when geopolitical instability, slowing global growth and changing travel patterns are reshaping the international tourism market.

India, it said, is well positioned to emerge as one of the world's preferred destinations for leisure, business, medical and spiritual tourism while also strengthening its foreign exchange reserves through higher inbound travel. According to the HAI, the initiative goes beyond encouraging Indians to holiday within the country.

It could trigger major investments in hotels, resorts, convention centres, wellness retreats and tourism infrastructure, generating employment and economic activity across urban and rural India. "Inbound tourism will play a decisive role in the growth of India's hospitality sector in the coming years," said K.B. Kachru, President of the Hotel Association of India and Chairman–South Asia of Radisson Hotel Group. "India has the opportunity to position itself as a globally competitive tourism destination with world-class infrastructure and experiences," he added.