NEWS| Tourism sector to generate over two lakh jobs by 2010

According to Union Tourism and Culture Minister, Ambika Soni, the tourism sector is likely to generate over two lakh jobs by 2010. Addressing a group of budding air hostesses recently, Soni said, "The country will witness tremendous employment generation in the skilled and semi-skilled sector, viz. pilots, aviation engineers, air hostesses, stewards, ground handling staff, guides, travel agents, tour operators and freight agencies."



Soni also said that infrastructure and skilled man power have to be in right place in the next five years in the wake of boom in tourism sector and economic growth of the country. "It is projected that by 2010 about 10 million foreign tourists will arrive in the country and the outbound tourism will also grow manifolds, which currently stands at eight million tourists," she added.

Speaking on the modernisation and upgradation of international airports at Mumbai and Delhi, Soni said that creation of about one lakh fifty thousand additional rooms in the budget and star category hotels are the main challenges before all the stakeholders in civil aviation and tourism sector. Soni further added that the government is ready to have public private partnership both, in tourism infrastructure development and training and upgradation of skills through specialised institutions.