India's G20 Presidency golden opportunity to promote tourism: FHRAI

With India assuming the G20 Presidency starting this month, Federation of Hotel & Restaurant Associations of India (FHRAI) has cited the yearlong event as a golden opportunity for the tourism and hospitality industry to shine on the global stage.

The association has urged the government to intensify promotional initiatives under 'Incredible India' to attract as many foreign tourists as possible during the year.

The G20 Summit is expected to host over 200 meetings and conferences in over 50 destinations.

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FHRAI has requested the government to reactivate the Champion Sector in Services Scheme (CSSS) to give a boost to MICE tourism in the country.

“After two years of absolute stalling, this has come as a golden opportunity for the tourism and hospitality industry. This is the time that the government should go full throttle to promote tourism under the 'Incredible India' banner,” says Jaison Chacko, Secretary General, FHRAI.

India’s tourism sector is one of the largest service industries with 10.93 million Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTAs) and $30 billion Foreign Exchange Earnings in 2019.

A total of 3,263,219 Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTAs) were recorded till August 2022, which is 47.2 per cent of the 6,914,987 FTAs to the country in the corresponding period in 2019. With the G20 Summit taking place across the country through the year, the hospitality industry hopes to bridge the 50 per cent deficit in tourist inflow in a lesser period.