Page 31 - NIS ENGLISH 16-31 JAN 2022

Cover Story
Tourism Development Cover Story

Number of people visiting

India for medical tourism

from 2016 to 2020

6.97

4.27 6.41 2019

2016 2018 MOUNTAINEERING PERMIT
4.49 FOR TREKKING
In August 2019, the government
2017 opened 137 mountain peaks to
foreigners wishing to obtain a
FIGURES IN LAKHS. * COVID LOCKDOWN 1.83 mountaineering visa for trekking.
2020* These peaks are located in Jammu
and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh,
Uttarakhand and Sikkim. The
INDIA'S ROLE IN THE GROWING TOURISM MARKET maximum number of 51 summits
Prior to Covid, the worldwide tourism sector was rising at a rate of 3.5 were opened for foreigners in
percent per year, according to research by the World Tourism and Travel Uttarakhand. 15 mountain peaks
Council. It contributes $ 8.9 trillion to the global economy and employs of Jammu and Kashmir have also
330 million people. It employs 87.5 million people in India and contributes been included in this list. This was a
$194 billion to the country's GDP. watershed moment in the country's
quest to promote adventure tourism.

provision of basic infrastructure are crucial for and the AMRUT Mission to change this scenario.
tourists, in addition to protection from Covid. Over the years, over 60 lakh private toilets and
over 6 lakh community toilets have been built in
CLEANLINESS GIVES TOURISM A FRESH LEASE OF LIFE. cities. Till 7 years ago, where only 18 percent of
If you recall, prior to 2014, only negative talks the waste could be disposed of, it has increased
concerning the cleanliness of our cities were to 70 percent today. Now under the Swachh
heard. Dirt was seen as a natural part of city life. Bharat Abhiyan 2.0, a campaign to remove the
Apathy toward cleanliness has a negative impact mountains of garbage standing in the cities has
on not just the beauty of cities and visitors visiting also been started. LED lighting has also played a
them, but it also has a negative impact on the significant part in boosting the beauty of cities.
health of city residents. A massive drive was The government has replaced more than 90 lakh
launched under the Desh Swachh Bharat Mission old street lights in the country with LEDs under a

New India Samachar January 16-31, 2022 29