World Tourism Day was inaugurated by the United Nations World Tourism Organization in 1980 and is held every year on 27th September to create awareness about tourism on a global scale. Travelling is considered a global movement in the sense that it not only provides multiple job opportunities the world over, but also helps safeguard the shared natural, social and cultural heritage apart from building common interests across the globe regarding issues concerning denizens of the earth. Tourism is also responsible for mutual understanding and harmony among nations. Celebration of this day connotes acknowledgment of the human trait – social bonding despite lingual, cultural, historical and such other differences.

In recent years, India has realised how important tourism is for the developing countries. Tourism aids in growth of foreign arrivals, growth of revenues, and contributes to the country’s Gross Domestic Product in general. It affects the wages and earnings of those who are directly working in the tourism sector. The indirect effects occur through the tourism value-chain. Tourism industry aids food and beverage, construction, and transportation sectors among other.

India occupies the 38th spot among all countries in the world in terms of foreign tourist arrivals. It is known for its warm and welcoming treatment to all its visitors no matter where they come from. The attractions of the country include beautiful beaches, lush forests, amazing wildlife and varied landscapes. It is also home to many architectural marvels with interesting histories to their credit. Taj Mahal, one of the Seven Wonders of the World, is a favourite among tourists. India sees more than 5 million foreign and 562 million domestic tourist visits annually. Tourism has become one of the major sectors of the economy and the fastest growing service industry in the country. The growth rate of infrastructural industries like hotels and restaurants directly depends upon tourism. The more the tourists, the more are its hotels and restaurants, resulting in increased employment opportunities.

Several initiatives have been taken by the government in the recent past to boost tourism in India. The hotel and tourism related industries have been declared as high priority industries for foreign investment. This entails automatic approval of direct investment up to 51% of foreign equity and allows maximum NRI investment. The idea behind assigning a day to celebrate tourism across the world goes in line with how beneficial the industry is to a country. Several hotels offer special packages on the day to further engage the travellers.