Covid-hit tourism shed 2.15 cr jobs

New Delhi, March 14

The government on Monday admitted in the Lok Sabha that a whopping 2.15 crore jobs were lost in the tourism sector on account of Covid-19.

Replying to supplementary questions on the impact of the pandemic on tourism in the Lower House today, Union Minister for Culture and Tourism G Kishan Reddy said, “During the first phase of Covid-19, 1.45 crore jobs were lost, in the second phase 52 lakh jobs were lost and in the third wave 18 lakh jobs were lost.”

This takes the cumulative job loss in the sector to 2.15 crore. The minister, answering the question raised by BJP MP from Sirsa Sunita Duggal, said foreign tourist arrivals dipped 93.3 per cent during the first Covid wave; 79.5 per cent in the second and 64.3 per cent in the third wave. The minister cited a National Council

of Applied Economic Research study to say the tourism sector had suffered huge job losses and added that “job losseshave happened worldwide”.

Prior to the pandemic, 3.48 crore jobs depended on tourism but these numbers have plummeted, Reddy said.

“That is why the government is working on the promotion of domestic tourism, diverting outbound tourists to domestic tourist trips. It is aiming to incentivise industries contributing most to the tourism economy, and is providing tax benefits, subsidies and income to industry players. Tourism division is with the states, not the Centre,” Reddy added, describing tourism as the worst-affected by Covid.

The minister said the sector was regaining strength due to the expansion of Covid vaccination drive with India accounting for 10 per cent of the doses administered worldwide. “From March 27, international flights will also reopen,” he said, crediting the NDA’s policies for the improvement of India’s rank in the world tourism index from 52 in 2014 to 34 now.

The minister informed the Lok Sabha that an interest-free loan of Rs 10 lakh was being given to travel and tourism stakeholders and up to Rs 1 lakh to tourist guides to help the sector.

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