Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat has said the tourism sector contributes ₹ 20 lakh crore to India's GDP, and is expected to grow at a rate of over 25%. At the heart of this transformation lies the belief that tourism is a national priority, not an auxiliary industry, the Minister for Culture and Tourism on (October 11), addressing the 'Madhya Pradesh Travel Mart' organised by the state's tourism department.

"Tourism now contributes over Rs 20 lakh crore to our national GDP. It provides livelihood to more than 84 million people," Shekhawat said. "India welcomed 20 million inbound tourists last year, and 2.94 billion tour trips were made by domestic travelers. Tourism sector in India is estimated to grow with a CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate) of more than 25 per cent," he added.

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