Report Overview:
- India saw the arrival of 1,282 million domestic and 22.57 million foreign tourists in the year 2013-14. Tourism in India accounts for 6.8% of the GDP, and is the third largest foreign exchange earner for the country with USD 18.13 Billion.
- The Government of India has taken following initiatives and policies to grow rural tourism
- Rural Tourism Infrastructure Development Component under PIDDC scheme – Promoting Village Tourism
- Swadesh Darshan – Positioning Tourism as an Engine of Growth
- Scheme for Organizing Fair, Festival and Tourism related events – Domestic Promotion & Publicity including Hospitality (DPPH)
- Hunar Se Rozgar Tak (HSRT), Ministry of Tourism
- Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) – Developing Human Capital
- A few more organizations in this domain, functional across the country are: DHAN Foundation (National Award for Best NGO Promoting Tourism by Ministry of Tourism), Blue Yonder, Travel Another India, Culture Aangan, Ecospiti, Baramati Agri Tourism, Village Ways and Eco Login.