INTRODUCTION:

Human Resource Administration or Management (HRA or HRM) is defined as an approach that considers employees as the main source of value and sustained competitive advantage of organizations and includes seven broad activities that together constitute the HRM system such as job design, staffing, retention, development and training, managing change and performance, remuneration, and organizational behavior (Tatiana V. Zaytseva(2018), p.3120). In human resource management or administration in public service, Berman et al have defined HRM as “a titanic force that shapes the conditions in which people find themselves.

From deciding how individuals will be recruited to how they are then compensated, trained, and evaluated, human resource administration has a significant, even definitive, effect on the careers of all employees” (Stephen E. Condrey, Ilka M. Decker and Carl L. McCoy(2008), p.942).

Human resources administration affects individual employees and their internal calculus as to whether and to what extent they will contribute toward organizational goals. Collectively, the system of human resource management present within an organization will positively or negatively affect the internal functioning of the organization and, ultimately, the quality of services it delivers to its clients of citizens(Stephen E. Condrey, Ilka M. Decker and Carl L. McCoy(2008)).What makes an effective system of human resources administration in Tourism?. The answer is an effective system of human resource management can enhance every area of administrative operations. Likewise, an ineffective or nonresponsive human resource management system can hinder administrative performance and have debilitating effects on an organization’s climate, its performance, and its ability to attract and retain a quality workforce(Stephen E. Condrey, Ilka M. Decker and Carl L. McCoy(2008), p.942).

There are eight elements can be combined to help develop an effective public human resource management system in tourism in a state. These are such as

1) Systematic and meaningful employee involvement,

2) Competitive compensation and benefits system,

3) Responsive position classification system,

4) Professional human resource management staff,

5) Political and bureaucratic support,

6) Integral part of the organization’s management Infrastructure,

7)Aggressive employee recruitment and professional selection techniques and

8)Effective and systematic training and development activities (Stephen E. Condrey, Ilka M. Decker and Carl L. McCoy(2008), p.942).

Collectively, however, these eight elements signal a human resource department that is attuned to the needs of the organization’s employees, its management purpose, and the citizens it serves, which is applicable to India as well. Building an effective human resource management system cannot be accomplished overnight; it requires internal competence and external support. As such, it is necessarily an incremental process, whereby major actors in the organization such as governing body, management, and employees gain confidence and respect in the human resource department and its ability to facilitate an effective and responsive system of personnel management. Those seeking an effective human resource system should not look to the latest management fad or quick fix, but rather concentrate on the proper resources such as monetary and human and buy-in of the organization’s major stakeholders(Stephen E. Condrey, Ilka M. Decker and Carl L. McCoy(2008), p.944).

As far as the tourism is concerned, it is a relatively young phenomenon which involves the development of a singular and important economic sector. From the very beginning, that economic dimension of tourism has been the main priority for governments, and this has also been reflected in the tourism policy research. In fact it is very common considering tourism policy as a part of the economic policy, but tourism is much more than an economic sector. Tourism is probably one of the most determinant influences on our societies, and it will remain as a key issue in the future (Maria Velasco (2018), p.5970). This is applicable to India as well.

Tourism is a key economic sector and it is a multifaceted phenomenon. It has positive impacts on economy due to the fact that it could be an interesting surplus on the balance of payments and that it is a very labor-intensive sector. The employment development related to the activity has also benefited from the continued growth of domestic and international demand during the last 50 years. However, tourism also has some negative economic impacts, like the increase of prices in tourist destinations, the unequal distribution of the benefits, strong international inflows, economic inequality between population of tourist destinations, and the quality of employment has different problems(Maria Velasco (2018), p.5970). Tourism is also a key cultural factor. It has become a fertile mechanism to make different cultures come together to fostering communication, and to allowing people to understand the richness of our diversity. Tourism had increased the awareness about heritage, and investment in conservation had been made due to the interest of more people. On the other hand, problems of authenticity had been highlighted by different researches. Tourism can cause an intense acculturation process, especially towards fragile cultures. Much of the investment in culture attractions is not intended to be oriented to citizens, but to foreign tourist(Maria Velasco (2018), p.5970).

Tourism is also complex phenomenon that has be conceptualized on several levels. It can be considered demographically, as the flow of temporary leisure migration across international boundaries, which is called as an international tourism or within the boundaries of a given country, which is called as the domestic tourism. The tourism can be thought of institutionally, as the system of enterprises such as airlines, travel companies, touring agencies, hotels, resorts, guest houses, souvenir shops, restaurants, theme parks and so on and organizations such as travel associations, local and national tourist authorities, and international tourist organizations that process and serve that flow. Finally, tourism can be conceptualized socially, as the complex of attitudes, motivations, norms and role models that regulate and shape that flow into a distinct institutional domain (Erik Cohen(2008), p.398).

Dean MacCannell (1973) proposed a distinctly sociological perspective on tourism by conceiving of the tourist as a modern individual who, alienated from his own society, travels in quest of authentic experiences in other places and other times in pristine nature, unspoiled, simple communities, or the traces of great civilizations of the past(Erik Cohen(2008), p.399). The emerging discourse of postmodern tourism, or the “post-tourist”, moved away from MacCannell’s paradigm. In a world allegedly devoid of originals, and dominated by simulacra, the quest for authenticity becomes senseless. The growing interpenetration of cultures in the twin processes of globalization and “glocalization” blurs the distinction between home and away, and between ordinary leisure and tourism (Erik Cohen(2008), p.399). In the contemporary world, tourism often merges with other institutional domains, such as education (study tours), religion (pilgrimage-tourism), sports (extreme tourism), and recently even medicine(Erik Cohen(2008), p.400).

Tourism Theory:

Theory is regarded as representation, explaining how and why phenomena operate. It is based on epistemological premises, offering logical relationships between or among empirically justifiable assumptions and providing a basis for predictions, which is instrumental for understanding and allowing retrospective proof. Tourism theories follow three developmental stages, each conveying a greater level of sophistication (https://link.springer.com/referenceworkentry/10.1007/978-3-319-01669-6_391-1, accessed on 15th March, 2023).

The concept of the "sight" is of decisive importance to the tourist and thus warrants close analysis. First of all, it indicates that the tourist is not without a guilty conscience. The purposelessness of the trip, which is supposed to guarantee the freedom for which the traveler longs is belied. For the sight is not merely worth visiting; it authoritatively demands it. A sight is something that one is expected to see. Fulfilling this duty delivers the tourist from the guilt that is implicitly recognized in taking flight from society. Through obedience the tourist discloses the inability to endure the freedom that s/he ostensibly desires(Hans Magnus Enzensberger(1996), p.130).

There are considerable differences among students in the field in their general philosophical and ideological perspectives, as well as in their theoretical approaches to tourism; these have produced a variety of conceptual approaches. Erik Cohen has selected eight of the most important ones for consideration. These are as follows such as

1)Tourism as commercialized hospitality,

2) Tourism as democratized travel,

3) Tourism as a modern leisure activity,

4) Tourism as a modern variety of the traditional pilgrimage,

5) Tourism as an expression of basic cultural themes,

6) Tourism as an acculturative process,

7) Tourism as a type of ethnic relations and

8) Tourism as a form of neo colonialism.

However, the sociological research on tourism falls naturally into the four principal issue areas such as the tourist, relations between tourists and locals, the structure and functioning of the tourist system and the consequences of tourism(Erik Cohen(1984), p.376).

Theory of Change in tourism is about understanding why and how change happens, so that development programs can make the most of the development potential of this sector. It is critically important that there is full understanding of the challenges, assumptions, solutions and indicators for tourism. The evidence behind tourism as a positive development change agent also needs to be regularly challenged and examined. To be successful, projects need to take the entire tourism landscape into consideration and leverage insights from past projects. Theory of Change (ToC) provides a framework for the planning, execution and evaluation of tourism projects and programs that connects to project goals and development objectives, and helps maximize tourism’s potential(The World Bank Group(2018), p.5).

Tourism is a powerful driver of economic growth and job creation, particularly for emerging economies. Tourism as a development tool is often poorly understood and utilized. It has a wide supply chain that includes transport providers, agriculture producers, craftspeople, and microbusinesses. This gives the sector added value as a job creator, particularly in rural areas where young people may have few other opportunities, helping to reduce rural urban migration. In Africa, between 2000 and 2014, the number of jobs attributable to the sector nearly doubled from 11.6 million to 20.5 million, which represents 8.1 percent of the region’s total employment. Travel and tourism is also one of the few sectors where female labor participation is already above parity in some regions. According to a 2013 International Labour Organization analysis, women make up more than 60 percent of all workers in tourism(The World Bank Group(2018), p.4).

History of Tourism in the World:

Traveling for leisure was common in many historical and pre modern societies. Tourism as a socially recognized, separate institutional domain, however, emerged in western Europe only in the course of the nineteenth century (Erik Cohen(2008), p.398). There have been two major precursors of modern tourism such as

(1) Pilgrimages to sacred places, which created basic services for travelers, such as hostelries, and formed routes that prefigured the itineraries of modern sightseeing tourism and

(2) Spas, or thermal springs, at which members of the European higher classes assembled to “take the waters”, which prefigured popular modern vacationing tourism on seaside beaches(Erik Cohen(2008), p.398).

The Grand Tour of the British nobility and upper classes between the late sixteenth and the early nineteenth centuries was a form of secular pilgrimage to the centers of European antiquity and culture. In its course, an expanding core of major attractions and amenities developed, which constituted the basis of the emergent modern tourist system. The development of modern tourism was made possible by major technological innovations in transportation such as the steamship and the train, and later the car and the airplane, which facilitated the establishment of regular transportation services for large numbers of people.

The demand for tourist services, however was provoked by the economic and social changes that followed the Industrial Revolution(Erik Cohen(2008), p.398). Industrial pollution and urbanization separated people from as yet unspoiled nature; the strains of modern life created demands for rest and recreation; secularization and imperial conquests led to a broadened outlook on the world and a growing interest in remote lands and people. The prosperous middle classes increasingly disposed of discretionary income, which enabled them to bear the costs of traveling, while the introduction of social benefits such as paid vacations, enabled ever broader social strata to travel(Erik Cohen(2008), p.398).

The introduction by Cook in 1841, of the package tour was followed by other innovations in the organization of travel, such as the formation of travel companies and touring agencies, airlines, and hotel chains, which made traveling fast and easy, even for people with limited cultural capital. The principal expansion of tourism took place in the second part of the twentieth century, and especially from the 1970s onward, with the emergence of mass tourism to popular destinations. Most citizens of affluent western countries at the end of the century took at least one annual vacation abroad, and many took two or even more. Tourism from the non-western countries, especially Japan, and, more recently, India and China, expanded at an accelerating rate (Erik Cohen(2008), p.398). This is the brief history of tourism in the world.

Tourism Industry:

The tourism industry is conscious of the need to maintain the social, cultural, environmental and economic attributes that are basic to its positive development(David L. Edgell, Sr(2015), p. 25). Contemporary tourism is a massive phenomenon. Tourism is one of the leading components of world Trade. In reaction to the problematic consequences of the hegemonic tourist industry, various kinds of “alternative tourisms” have emerged, such as “green” tourism, ecotourism, low-impact tourism, and “countercultural” tourism, the latter espoused in the ideology—but not necessarily in the practice of contemporary backpackers. Most of these alternative tourisms, however, have been eventually absorbed by the tourist industry, which has adapted its services to the particular needs and preferences of alternative tourists. More recently, rather than seeking alternatives to the industry, environmentalists and other concerned individuals have sought to collaborate with the industry to ascertain the sustainability of tourism development projects.

They thus hope to prevent the environmental and social ravages that unconcerned and often speculative developments wrought in sensitive sites in the past(Erik Cohen(2008), p.399).

Leisure tourism has long been a pursuit of the wealthy, but it is only since the 1980s that the majority of the population has become involved, either as tourists or as workers catering for their needs—a phenomenon that has raised tourism to the position of one of the world’s largest industries. Domestic tourism is estimated to be ten times greater in volume than international tourism, and yet relatively little is known about it; closer attention has been paid to international tourism(Ramesh Durbarry and M. Thea Sinclair(2008), p.400). With developments in world trade, better means of transport and communications, intensive marketing, rises in disposable income, improvements in political ties, technological advances, and increased leisure time, international tourism has grown rapidly, as is reflected in the global trend of inbound tourist arrivals and receipts. The globalization has also contributed to the rapid expansion of tourism, via such changes as deregulation of air transport. The growth of charter flights, low-cost airlines, and package-tour holidays provided a major boost to this expansion(Ramesh Durbarry and M. Thea Sinclair(2008), p.400).

The tourism product comprises a combination of goods and services supplied by the tourism industry, as well as non priced features that motivate tourism, such as natural sites (such as beaches, mountains, and forests), historic sites, and cultural features. The welcome provided to tourists by industry employees and by the local population is also of fundamental importance. The tourism industry includes hospitality (e.g., accommodation, restaurants), transportation (e.g., airlines, car rental), travel facilitation and information (e.g., tour operators, travel agents, tourist information centers), and attractions and entertainment (e.g., heritage sites and theme, national, and wildlife parks).Thus the scope of tourism supply is wide-ranging and influenced by market conditions that affect the environment in which tourism businesses operate(Ramesh Durbarry and M. Thea Sinclair(2008), p.401).

Outbreaks of disease or political unrest or terrorist attacks have recently hit the tourism industry with some severe and unexpected downturns in demand. Examples include the Gulf War in the early 1990s, the terrorist attacks at Luxor in Egypt in 1997, the Kosovo conflict in 1999, foot-and-mouth disease in the United Kingdom in 2001, the September 11 terrorist attacks in the United States in 2001, and the tsunami in the South Pacific in 2004. All of these events had negative impacts on the number of international tourist arrivals. In 2003 world tourist arrivals were 691 million, compared with 703 million in 2002. Tourist arrivals from the United States fell from a high of 128 million in 2000 to 113 million in 2003(Ramesh Durbarry and M. Thea Sinclair(2008), p.402). During the Covid-19 pandemic period also the over all tourism industry had been declined.

The recent high growth in tourist arrivals and expenditures affects host destinations in various ways, contributing to higher exports of services, bringing in foreign currency, increasing the level of income, and generating tax revenue. Tourism also generates large numbers of jobs, although remuneration in many parts of the tourist industry is low compared with other industries. There is significant gender structuring in employment. For example, in the United Kingdom in 1995, 76 percent of jobs in the transport sector were filled by men, whereas 62 percent of those in accommodation and catering were undertaken by women. Furthermore, in the hospitality sector staff often live on premises and are expected to work long and “unsocial” hours. Many receive low pay, and there is a large proportion of young, female, and part time and casual staff, as well as high staff turnover in many establishments(Ramesh Durbarry and M. Thea Sinclair(2008), p.402).

Although the tourism industry has great potential for benefiting recipient countries, major criticisms have been leveled at its impact on the environment as well as on social norms and cultures. Construction of resort hotels and theme parks, for instance, has led to significant changes in the environment and some reduction in the biodiversity of native flora and fauna. Damage to coastal areas has been a cause for concern, with construction of marinas and other water-based activities. Other environmental issues relate to noise and air pollution (for example, from aircraft, vehicles, nightclubs) and to water contamination by discharges from hotels, boats, and cruise ships. These pose serious challenges for destination managers.

Industry problems, ranging from increasing competition between destinations to environmental concerns, have encouraged destinations to introduce structural changes and to think about sustainable tourism. Many destinations have stressed the importance of ecotourism. Tourism is a sensitive industry with respect to changes in economic, social, and political conditions, and tourism activities are hampered by disease, political unrest, and climatic changes. A further challenge for the tourism industry is to consider how to integrate tourism into society such that the economic benefits are equitably shared without significantly damaging the environment(Ramesh Durbarry and M. Thea Sinclair(2008), p.402).

Why do we need Tourism?

The Tourism is regarded as an economic and social phenomenon. Over the decades, tourism has experienced continued growth and deepening ‎diversification to become one of the fastest growing economic sectors in the world. ‎Modern tourism is closely linked to development and encompasses a growing number ‎ of new destinations. These dynamics have turned tourism into a key driver for socio-‎economic progress(https://www.unwto.org/why-tourism, accessed on 14th March, 2023).‎ Today, the business volume of tourism equals or even surpasses that of oil exports, ‎food products or automobiles. Tourism has become one of the major players in ‎international commerce, and represents at the same time one of the main income ‎sources for many developing countries.This growth goes hand in hand with an ‎ increasing diversification and competition among destinations(https://www.unwto.org/why-tourism, accessed on 14th March, 2023).‎

This global spread of tourism in industrialised and developed states has produced ‎economic and employment benefits in many related sectors such as from construction to ‎ agriculture or telecommunications.‎ The contribution of tourism to economic well-being depends on the quality and the ‎revenues of the tourism offer. The United Nations World Tourism Organization(UNWTO) assists destinations in their sustainable ‎positioning in ever more complex national and international markets. As the UN agency ‎ dedicated to tourism, UNWTO points out that particularly developing countries stand to ‎benefit from sustainable tourism and acts to help make this a reality(https://www.unwto.org/why-tourism, accessed on 14th March, 2023).‎

The World Tourism Organization is the United Nations agency responsible for the promotion of responsible, sustainable and universally accessible tourism. The posts within the UNWTO are filled following a careful competitive selection process that takes into account the candidates academic qualifications, international experience and language skills, among others(https://www.unwto.org/work-with-us#conditions, accessed on 14^th March, 2023).

The UNWTO’s present Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili took office in January 2018. Seeking to optimize the efficiency of the Organization, the Secretary-General has introduced a new leadership structure consisting of a Deputy Secretary-General and two Executive Directors, each one overseeing key structural areas and departments of the Organization for increased efficiency in achieving UNWTO’s goals, including adding value to members, increasing membership and serving the tourism sector as a whole(https://www.unwto.org/management, accessed on 14th March, 2023).

The management team works towards a comprehensive vision for development of the tourism sector. This includes positioning tourism as a policy priority, establishing thought leadership in knowledge and policy creation, increasing resources and strengthening UNWTO’s capacity through meaningful partnerships (https://www.unwto.org/management, accessed on 14th March, 2023).

The Employment Conditions at UNWTO

The UNWTO is head quartered in one of the major tourism hubs in the world is at Madrid, Spain. It is a forward-looking, modern city that embraces innovation and diversity. Moving to a new city, even to a new country for a new job is exciting but it can also be challenging. As an international organization, UNWTO is committed to looking after the needs of its personnel, not only in the workplace but also for assisting in the transfer to Madrid. To facilitate their relocation, new personnel will have access to a practical guide which includes basic information about Spain, accommodation, health care, public transportation, social activities, etc (https://www.unwto.org/work-with-us#conditions, accessed on 14^th March, 2023).

However, the analysis of UNWTO’s endeavour to achieve personal and professional growth for its personnel as follows.

	1) Remuneration: we offer an attractive and competitive remuneration package.
	2)Onboarding: we facilitate your arrival at UNWTO by offering valuable information on the conditions of service and your arrival at the UNWTO Secretariat. Newly appointed members of personnel will undergo an induction training to assist them to settle down quickly in the new work environment.
	3)Global health care: we offer a comprehensive medical insurance coverage, covering medical and dental expenditures globally for our staff members and service contract holders.
	4)Holidays: we offer up to 30 days of annual leave per year, giving our personnel the work-life balance that is needed to recharge.
	5)Pension: staff members of the Organization participate in the United Nations Joint Staff Pension Fund while service contract holders are covered by specific provisions for their pension contributions.
	6)Tax-free salaries in Spain: salaries of staff members are normally exempt from national income taxes in Spain(https://www.unwto.org/work-with-us#conditions, accessed on 14^th March, 2023).

Public Policies of Tourism in India:

The potential that tourism holds for positive economic and social benefits for tomorrow will depend on the decisions made today(David L. Edgell, Sr(2015), p.34). The decisions about sustainable tourism development at the local, national, regional, and international levels began emerging from a series of local and international forums held by the UN beginning in the 1990s. The UN's sustainable tourism policy was formulated during the Rio+20 Conference on Sustainable Development in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in June 2012, 20 years after the landmark 1992 UN Conference on Environment and Development was held in the same city. The conference announced a plan of action, which was adopted by all member states. From an international sustainable tourism policy perspective, the conference report included three basic themes, under the rubric of Agenda 21, that related to sustainable tourism such as 1) the need for partnerships between the public and private sectors; 2) the maintenance of quality-of-life without compromising the future well-being of the people or the planet; and, 3) an emphasis on preserving environmental sustainability (David L. Edgell, Sr(2015), p.27).

As far as India is concerned, the growing influence of the tourism sector as an economic power house and its potential as a tool for development are irrefutable. Not only does the tourism sector spearhead growth, it also improves the quality of people’s lives with its capacity to create large scale employment of diverse kind. It supports environmental protection, champions diverse cultural heritage and strengthens peace in the world. Facilitation as well as strengthening of tourism in India is the main objective of Ministry of Tourism. Augmenting tourism infrastructure, easing of visa regime, assurance of quality standards in services of tourism service providers, projection of the country as a 365 days’ tourist destination, promotion of sustainable tourism etc are some of the policy areas which need to be constantly worked upon to increase and facilitate tourism in India (Government of India(2022-23), p.6).

As per India Tourism Statistics (2022) reveals that due to restriction related to COVID-19, The number of Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTAs) in India during 2021 decreased to 1.52 million as compared to 2.74 million in 2020, registering a negative growth of 44.5%. While FTAs experienced a negative growth rate in 2021, NRI and ITA arrivals experienced positive growth. Arrivals of NRIs have increased by 52.6% from 2020 to 2021. In comparison to 2020, there was a 10.6% increase in yearly international tourist arrivals in India in 2021. For FTAs, air travel is the most chosen mode of transportation. 87.5 % of the FTAs entered India via air routes, 11.8 % via land routes, and 0.7 percent via sea routes. Around 53.6% Foreign tourists arrived in India through the Delhi and Mumbai airports(Government of India(2022), p.5).

In 2021, the top 15 source markets for FTAs in India were the United States, Bangladesh, the United Kingdom, Canada, Nepal, Afghanistan, Australia, Germany, Portugal, France, the Maldives, Sri Lanka, the Russian Federation, Iraq, and the Netherlands. In 2021, the top 15 nations accounted for approximately 80.9 percent of total FTAs in India. Tourism continues to play an important role as a foreign exchange earner for the country. In 2021, foreign exchange earnings (FEE) from tourism were US $ 8.797 billion as compared to US$ 6.958 billion in 2020, registering a positive growth of 26.4%. India received 677.63 million domestic tourist visits in 2021, an increase of 11.05 percent from 610.22 million in 2020. Due to worldwide pandemic limitations, fewer foreign visitors came. As a result, India received 1.05 million foreign tourist visitors in 2021 than that in 2020 (7.17 million), representing a negative 85.29 percent growth rate(Government of India(2022), p.5). According to union minister of Tourism mr. G.Kishan Reddy, 6.19 million foreign tourists arrived in India in 2022(https://tourism.gov.in/sites/default/files/2023-02/PIB1897320_0.pdf, accessed on 15^th March, 2023).

The two states with the most domestic tourists visiting in India were Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh with 140.65 million and 86.12 million, respectively. Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu have the highest numbers of foreign tourist visits, with 1.26 million and 1.23 million, respectively. Travel and Tourism created 79.86 million (direct + indirect) jobs and 15.34% of jobs in the 2019–2020 year. In terms of GDP during 2019–2020, tourism contributed 5.19 percent (direct + indirect). India’s ranking in the global Travel and Tourism Development Index (TTDI) is 54th in 2021(Government of India(2022), p.6). In order to meet the demand of trained manpower in the hospitality industry, the union Ministry of Tourism continues to actively pursue its endeavour to create institutional infrastructure in the form of Indian Institute of Tourism and Travel Management, Institutes of Hotel Management and Food Crafts Institutes(Government of India(2022), p.175).The Human Resource Development division of the union Ministry of Tourism deals with four academic Institutions imparting professional education in Hospitality, Catering Technology, Travel, Tourism and its related sectors. In addition it deals with administrative and promotional matters of Indian Institute of Skiing and Mountaineering(IISM) a subordinate institute which is a pioneer institution in the field of adventure tourism(Government of India(2022-23), p.148).

Government of India’s major Tourism public policies:

The following are the major public policies or schemes of the government of India with regard to tourism development in India are analysed below.

1)Swadesh Darshan Scheme:

It is a Central Sector scheme launched in 2014-15 by the Ministry of Tourism and Culture, Government of India for the integrated development of theme-based tourist circuits. The scheme aims to promote, develop and harness the potential of tourism in India. Under the Swadesh Darshan scheme, the Ministry of Tourism provides Central Financial Assistance(CFA) to State Governments, Union Territory Administrations for the infrastructure development of circuits. This scheme is envisioned to synergise with other schemes like Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, Skill India, Make in India etc with the idea of positioning the tourism sector as a major engine for job creation, the driving force for economic growth, building synergy with various sectors to enable tourism to realise its potential (https://tourism.gov.in/index.php/swadesh-darshan-scheme, accessed on 15th March, 2023).

2)PRASAD scheme:

The Government of India has launched the PRASAD scheme in the year 2014-2015 under the Ministry of Tourism. The full form of the PRASAD scheme is ‘Pilgrimage Rejuvenation And Spiritual Augmentation Drive’. This scheme focuses on developing and identifying pilgrimage sites across India for enriching the religious tourism experience. It aims to integrate pilgrimage destinations in a prioritised, planned and sustainable manner to provide a complete religious tourism experience. The growth of domestic tourism hugely depends on pilgrimage tourism. For tapping the potential of pilgrimage tourism, there is a need for holistic development of the selected pilgrimage destinations by the government along with the cooperation of other stakeholders. The PRASAD scheme aims at paving the way for the development and promotion of religious tourism in India(https://tourism.gov.in/prashad-scheme, accessed on 15^th March, 2023).

3) Capacity Building for Service Providers(CBSP) Scheme:

A large segment of people are involved directly and indirectly in the tourism industry. Professional expertise is required for specialized vocations in this field. At present, there are Food Craft Institutes (FCIs) and Institute of Hotel Management (IHMs) where technical training is being provided to persons for the Hospitality Industry. Tourism training is being provided by the Indian Institute of Tourism and Travel Management, Gwalior, its Eastern Regional Centre at Bhubneswar, and through its various “Chapters” located at different places in the country to persons for taking up professions in the Travel and Tourism Industry. The tourism service providers are both in the approved/ organized and also the unorganized sector. The IHMs and FCIs cater mainly to organized sector i.e. Hotels and Restaurants. At the same time, there are a large number of persons who are engaged in the unorganized sector such as small hotels, road side eating places, ticketing/ travel agencies, dhabas etc(https://tourism.gov.in/scheme-capacity-building-service-providers-institutes, accessed on 15^th March, 2023).

There is a segment of tourism service providers who are engaged in other professions but come in contact with the tourist. These persons, such as staff at bus/ railway stations, police personnel, immigration staff at airports, coolies, taxi/ coach drivers, staff at monuments, guides etc. The tourists come in contact with various service providers and it is this experience they have while interacting with the cutting edge governs their experience of India as a tourist destination. It was therefore felt necessary that this large number of service providers are given certain inputs which can improve their behavior and service levels. Therefore a Scheme was formulated wherein these service providers in the unorganized sector are given some inputs so as to upgrade their behavior and service skills(https://tourism.gov.in/scheme-capacity-building-service-providers-institutes, accessed on 15^th March, 2023).

Some of the important areas being covered under the training include Health and Personal Hygiene, Cleanliness, Basic Service techniques, Cooking Techniques, Garbage Disposal, Etiquette and basic manners, basic nutrition values. Energy saving and basic tourism awareness, Communication skills, Behaviour Skills, First Aid, Client Handling and Behaviour Skills etc are also covered in the training programmes. The duration of the course ranges from 4 days to 6 days.

The implementing agencies have been given flexibility in devising the training programmes/ modules. However, general parameters have been fixed. Under this scheme the institutions are conducting Training using their own infrastructures in their own premises or are providing the training at site of the service providers. In the case of IHMs and FCIs, the Faculty and students are being used widely. A large number of the Service providers are located around the tourist sites and therefore such persons have to be trained at their place of work(https://tourism.gov.in/scheme-capacity-building-service-providers-institutes, accessed on 15^th March, 2023).These are the major schemes in the form of public policies have been existing for the development of tourism in India.

The Draft National Tourism Policy 2022 in India:

Tourism has emerged as a key driver of economic growth. It is one of the fastest growing economic sectors and has significant impact on trade, job creation, investment, infrastructure development and social inclusion. Tourism is a major source of employment. It is a labour-intensive sector and has significant multiplier effect on employment in related sectors. Tourism employs more women and youth than most of the other sectors. Tourism can generate resources for conservation of cultural and natural heritage and has huge potential to make positive contribution to sustainable development goals (Ministry of tourism(2022), p.7). India is celebrating Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav to commemorate 75 years of progressive India and the glorious history of its people, culture and achievements. The tourism public policy of 2022 mentioned that ‘it is the most opportune moment to unveil a shared vision for future of India’s tourism guiding its course for next 25 years to make India as the most sought-after travel destination in the world when we celebrate India@100 in 2047’. So, India is expected to become a developed country by 2047.

However, the union Ministry of Tourism prepared a draft of national tourism public policy based on various developments, which had happened since the last policy formulated in 2002 and incorporating key recommendations of NITI Aayog, Sectoral Group of Secretaries, global best practices from organizations such as UNWTO and policies and strategies formulated by other countries. The Ministry carried out a detailed situational analysis including impact due to COVID-19, future projections for tourism sector with a vision for India@100, multiple rounds of consultations and feedback from Central Ministries, State Governments, and Industry Stakeholders. The draft Policy was also published on the website of Ministry of Tourism for seeking comments from the Public(Ministry of tourism(2022), p.9).The major highlights of the government of India’s national tourism public policy 2022 with regard to human resource administration analysed below.

1)The mission will develop and implement a national framework for sustainable tourism in line with UNWTO definition, which includes environmental sustainability, socio-cultural sustainability and economic sustainability. The mission will catalyze action and encourage all stakeholders to take responsibility for promoting sustainable tourism. It will also include developing a code of ethics for all tourism stakeholders and a responsible traveller campaign (Ministry of tourism (2022), p.17).

2) The Destination’s Tourism Master Plan will include environmental and social issues in order to manage the critical assets and promote greener outcomes and will be prepared by a multi-stakeholder participatory planning process. It will also include mitigation of carbon emissions, biodiversity conservation, waste management, water supply and consideration and mitigation of impacts on socio-cultural and built heritage. The carrying capacity and visitor management to avoid over-tourism along with promoting “Plastic Free Destinations (PFD)” and green mobility will be some of the focus areas of action(Ministry of tourism(2022), p.18).

3) As far as collaboration and Capacity Building for promoting Green Tourism is concerned, the mission will encourage all stakeholders to collaborate, to share evidence of risks and solutions with all stakeholders and guests, and work together to ensure plans are as effective and coordinated as possible. The Mission will set up Centres of Excellence at national, regional and state level to create competencies, expertise and source of capacity to train enterprises and other stakeholders in sustainable and responsible tourism practices. These centres will also create awareness about Sustainable Tourism Criteria of India(STCI) and STCI based certifications in the country(Ministry of tourism(2022), p.18).

4) In the case of coordination and partnerships for Green Tourism is concerned, the mission will establish mechanisms for coordinating with Ministries responsible for the environment, energy, labour, agriculture, transport, health, finance, security, and other relevant areas, as well as with State and local governments for relevant regulations, policies and governance structure. The mission will closely work with Industry and NGOs and will have strong partnerships with Businesses, Donors, Tourists, International organizations, Academia and Civil Society Organizations to promote green tourism(Ministry of tourism(2022), p.19).

5) The Public Policy recognizes that digitalization, innovation and technology in tourism sector presents opportunities for tourism enterprises to expand their market reach, increase growth, improve operational efficiencies, and sharpen their competitive edge. At a collective level, it will help to develop and customize product offerings, improve destination connectivity, generate data to track performance, and help to improve destination management. Over the long term, digital transformation can unlock innovation and ensure the competitiveness of India’s tourism sector(Ministry of tourism(2022), p.20). Moreover, the Ministry of Tourism will set up National Digital Tourism Mission(NDTM) to promote digitalization in tourism sector. The NDTM envisages to achieve the objective of harnessing the full potential of digitization in tourism sector by facilitating exchange of information and services in tourism sector spreading across national and state tourism organizations, tourism service providers, tourism destinations, products, experiences and tourists(Ministry of tourism(2022), p.21).

6) The policy mentioned that well trained manpower is pre-requisite for quality of service. The policy also recognises that trained manpower is required not only to meet the demand of tourism and hospitality sector but keeping in view that tourism is driven by visitor experience, the people serving in the industry have to be well trained to deliver a positive experience to the visitors. The policy also takes note of the dual challenge currently being faced by India i.e. paucity of trained workforce, as well as non-employability of large sections of the conventionally educated youth, who possess little or no job skills. The policy accordingly advocates providing employable skills to Indian youth in line with the opportunities in the market(Ministry of tourism(2022), p.24).

7) As far as synergy between skill development framework and sectoral growth strategies is concerned, the policy does not view skill development in isolation. Skills are germane to, but not always sufficient for securing adequate economic dividends. Skills need to be an integral part of employment and economic growth strategies to spur employability and productivity. The skill development framework and ecosystem laid down by union Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, requires strong support from relevant line Ministries for ensuring its integration with sectoral economic strategies and growth. Moreover, the Ministry of Tourism will set up a Tourism and Hospitality Sector Skill Mission to create synergy between skill development framework and sectoral growth strategies. The mission will forge partnerships amongst the Ministry of Tourism, the Ministry of Skill Development, State Tourism Departments, Industry and Sector Skill Council for tourism and hospitality to strengthen the skill ecosystem for hospitality and tourism sector in the Country(Ministry of tourism(2022), p.24).

8) The Mission will focus on continuous engagement with industry in the skill training and placement of trained youth. Tourism and Hospitality Sector Skill Council (THSSC) has already been set up as part of the skill development ecosystem. The THSSC is an industry led body, which will act as a bridge between skill training and industry. A state level mechanism will also be put in place. The Mission will further create synergy in the skill development programs in tourism and hospitality sectors being executed by various agencies of the Central Government, State Government and Private Sector. Moreover, the mission will endeavour to make skills in Hospitality and Tourism industry aspirational. A National Campaign will be launched to create awareness and a positive perception about career in hospitality and tourism sector. State wise camps will be organised for skills awareness and mobilization. Promotion will be carried out through skill ambassadors including eminent personalities. Tourism and Hospitality Skill Awards will be instituted in partnership with major stakeholders (Ministry of tourism(2022), p.25).

9) The mission will focus on enhancing the capacity for skill training by encouraging private sector and industry to support the sectoral skill mission. The Mission will also focus on various measures to ensure quality of skill training to make the candidates industry relevant and employable. Language, basic IT and financial literacy is an integral part of most job roles in the sector. Further, life skills are also an integral to a successful livelihood. Accordingly, all skill training programmes shall include basic modules of computer literacy, finance, language and soft skills like etiquettes, appreciating gender diversity in workplace, building positive health attitudes, social and life skills to enable the youth to be employable and market ready. Moreover, the mission will enable mechanism for tracking placements of skilled youth, whether self or wage employed, which is the most critical outcome of skill training. To assess quality of skill training, this critical outcome will need to be monitored objectively. Employment tracking of individuals for at least one year, post skill training, will be done (Ministry of tourism(2022), p.26).

10) The public policy also talks about Global Partnerships. Moreover, it says the main objective of global partnerships and international collaborations is to leverage best practices from across the world. Such collaborations will immensely enrich domestic training programmes by enhancing their quality through learnings from successful international models of skilling, engaging with industry, etc. This is particularly important in tourism and hospitality sector, which is catering to the needs of foreign tourists also. It is important that our workforce understands customer needs and requirements so that it can serve them well and enhance visitor satisfaction(Ministry of tourism (2022), p.26).

11) The public policy mentioned about Online Incredible India Tourist Facilitator Certification Program. Moreover, the Ministry of Tourism has successfully demonstrated use of ICT for skill training in implementing Incredible India Tourist Facilitator (IITF) Certification Programme. It is an online programme where one can learn about tourism at his own time, space, path and pace. The successful completion of this programme would enable the learner to become a Certified Tourist Facilitator of Ministry of Tourism. Moreover, it also mentioned promoting inclusivity. The public policy says that it is necessary to promote skill development initiatives that will ensure inclusivity, irrespective of gender, location, caste, sector etc. One of the key objectives is to safeguard the skilling needs of SCs, STs, OBCs, minorities, and differently abled persons, as well as those living in difficult geographical pockets (Ministry of tourism(2022), p.27).

12) The public policy talks about coverage of skill training for informal and unorganized tourism workers. Moreover, it says that the mission will work with the State Governments for undertaking extensive skill training activities across the informal and unorganized tourism workers across the tourism value chain covering accommodation providers, eateries, street vendors, other sundry jobs around tourism attractions. This will enhance the experience of the visitors interacting with them and it will also equip the local community for various opportunities in tourism value chain. It also says that the mission will also work towards implementing recognition of prior learning (RPL). RPL is the key instrument which can help map the existing skills in the unorganised sector and integrate the informal sector to the formal skilling landscape. The RPL is an outcome-based qualification framework against which prior learning would be assessed and certified. The RPL certification would be at par with the certifications following various skill trainings in the country(Ministry of tourism (2022), p.27).

13) The public policy recognizes that destination management consists of the coordinated management of all the elements that make up a tourism destination taking a strategic approach to link-up these sometimes very separate elements for the better management of the destination. Such a joined-up management helps avoid overlapping functions and duplication of effort with regards to promotion, visitor services, training, business support and identify any management gaps that are not being addressed. Moreover, the public policy advocates a shift from department centric and scheme centric approach to a destination centric approach for planning, development and management of tourism. The Competition in tourism is not confined to tourism service providers, but the most decisive competition struggle takes place between the destinations. In order to enhance competitiveness and achieve sustainable, responsible and inclusive growth of tourism destinations, create synergy and convergence in the efforts of various public and private agencies, Destination Management Organizations need to be set up urgently (Ministry of tourism(2022), p.28).

14) The establishment of a Destination Management Organization (DMO) means in itself the materialization of a reinforced institutional governance in the destination. The ability of a destination to align efforts and bring together all stakeholders under the leadership of an organizational entity contributes to improve the institutional governance of the destination – both horizontally and vertically – and to facilitate the dialogue and the decision-making process towards a collective destination vision(Ministry of tourism(2022), p.29). The DMO, as the leading organizational entity which may encompass various authorities and stakeholders in the destination, is in a better position than any other entity at destination level to avoid duplicating efforts and overlapping initiatives, as well as identifying possible gaps that should be addressed to ensure an effective management of the destination (Ministry of tourism(2022), p.30).

15) The DMOs make local communities aware of the socioeconomic contributions of the tourism sector and engage local communities and closely monitor the attitudes of residents in regards to tourism development. No tourism destination can be sustainable and competitive in the long term without hearing the local communities and residents’ voice in its tourism planning and management (Ministry of tourism(2022), p.30).

16) The union Ministry of Tourism will support and provide necessary guidance for development of National Tourism Plan and State Tourism Plans. Tourism Planning is a specialized field that is also comprehensive in its approach looking into structure planning, environmental management, carrying capacity, land use planning, tourism marketing, tourism product development, human resource development, community planning, etc. Tourism Planning will be undertaken to support comprehensive and sustainable development (Ministry of tourism (2022), p.55). A robust framework for quality certification of products and services across all segments like accommodation providers, tour operators, adventure tour operators, service providers like spa and wellness, guides, restaurants etc. will be laid down. Clear certification guidelines will be created based on third party inspection and deployment of digital technologies for all service providers across different categories(Ministry of tourism(2022), p.74).

17) Mechanisms will also be put in place to develop and collect data that will monitor the mood of tourism businesses and allow the Government to keep its finger on the pulse of business confidence and provide businesses with regular up-to-date information about their performances. The main focus will be to improve the performance of the tourism sector, through the provision of high quality industry intelligence that can support their business development decisions. These surveys will not just be administered, but the data will also be thoroughly analysed to acquire the relevant information to be utilized in planning for the sector. The Ministry of Tourism will accord priority to the forecasting to provide a five to ten year outlook to help the Government plan for expected tourism demand. The forecasts will inform business decisions and help the Ministry plan their marketing efforts, resource requirements, and infrastructure and product development needs. The Ministry of Tourism will accordingly strengthen the research and development capability of the Ministry and its agencies as a matter of priority, with respect to the methodology and scope of data gathering and analysis (Ministry of tourism(2022), p.78).

18) Tourism is a complex domain covering a wide range of activities spread across several Ministries and involving the State Governments, Local Governments and Private Sector. While tourism industry is led by private sector, the Government has a crucial role in enabling tourism by developing cultural and natural resources, physical and social infrastructure. Keeping in view that tourism is impacted by multiple sectoral policies, tourism requires a whole of Government approach. Effective governance will be key to prioritize and mainstream Tourism sector at National and State level (Ministry of tourism(2022), p.81)

19) The Policy recognizes that the Ministry of Tourism functions as both the policy making and executing arm of the Ministry of Tourism. Since the Ministry is involved in day to day execution and operational issues, it has not been able to focus on policy and strategic issues. Further, in the absence of executing agencies with the Ministry of Tourism, the Ministry has not been able to scale up activities across various sectors and segments of tourism. Most competing counties have separated the policymaking functions from the executing functions. So, in India, a separate National Tourism Authority (NTA) will be established for executing and operationalizing various tourism related initiatives. Simple, flexible and elegant processes will be laid down to allow for nimbleness. While the Ministry will be responsible for framing policies and guidelines, exercising oversight, coordination with Ministries and States, the National Tourism Authority will be responsible for technical support, operational and execution of various policies (Ministry of tourism(2022), p.88).

The Authority will be provided budget by the Ministry of Tourism and the Authority may also raise its resources through various sources. The Authority will be entrusted with the responsibility of setting up and operationalizing National Green Tourism Mission, National Digital Tourism Mission, National Mission on Tourism MSMEs, National Mission on DMOs, Tourism and Hospitality Sector Skill Mission, Digital Marketing, Research and Development and other professional and technical matters related to tourism sector(Ministry of tourism(2022), p.88)etc.

CONCLUSION:

The BJP led NDA central government of India under the prime minister ship of mr. Narendra Modi has been implementing well regarding the major schemes or public policies of Swadesh Darshan Scheme, PRASAD scheme, and CBSP scheme for promoting and development of the tourism in India. The same government also prepared an excellent draft national tourism policy 2022 for an inclusive development of tourism in India. This public policy is a very good for the growth of Indian economy and also for the purpose of India has to achieve a developed country by 2047.

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Received on 22.05.2024 Modified on 28.06.2024

Res. J. Humanities and Social Sciences. 2024;15(3):209-220.

DOI: 10.52711/2321-5828.2024.00032