There is a need to design special tourism products and strategies around China as it is the largest outbound market, according to a CII tourism report.

The report, titled ‘CII policy dashboard on tourism’, suggested that at least 20 per cent of tourism earnings of India should be ploughed back into the sector by the government. It added that this could be done by increasing the promotional budget and the subsidies for tourism infrastructure.

“The government’s effort to enhance airport, port, railway and highway infrastructure will have far-reaching impact on India’s ranking in tourism,” said Dipak Haksar, Chairman, CII National Committee on Tourism and Hospitality.

The report also pointed out that the entry ticket for monuments in India are priced higher than many world attractions.

For instance, Giza Pyramids or the Badaling Wall charge in the range of ₹450 for entry for foreign nationals while the Taj Mahal charges ₹1,100.

The report added that with higher pricing, there are expectations of certain basic facilities being in place.

However, none of the top monuments has a decent restaurant where tourists can take refreshment breaks.

It also suggested that India needs to increase its focus on enhancing short-haul tourism.

Currently, a major part of the country’s inbound tourism is from long-haul tourists, which is susceptible to socio-economic shocks.

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