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India's travel and tourism industry has made a significant comeback post-pandemic. The sector is also a robust source of employment across both large and small cities.

According to our latest data, there has been a 44% spike in tourism talent demand in August 2023, with an additional 1.6 million jobs projected to be added throughout the year.

By 2033, the Indian tourism sector is expected to generate 58.2 million new jobs.

The emergence of specialized travel verticals such as destination weddings, religious tourism, international tourism, adventure sports, ecotourism, cultural tourism, and rural tourism and the growing interest towards sustainable tourism are two major trends that are transforming the Indian tourism sector landscape.

Employment opportunities in the sector are not limited to full-time positions but also include gig roles to meet the increased demand during peak tourist seasons. Since January 2023, there has been a 14% increase in gig roles, with positions such as tour guides, photographers, and translators in high demand.

Delhi-NCR, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Pune, and Kochi, are the key cities witnessing a surge in hiring. Additional demand is also emerging from Jaipur, Ahmedabad, and Chandigarh. As per our data, there will be a significant demand from regions like Gujarat, Lakshadweep, and West Bengal as well in the coming years.

Dhriti Prasanna Mahanta, our Vice President and Business Head, highlighted that leadership roles are opening up in areas such as sales, marketing, technology, F&B, customer service, and supply chain. New business growth is evident in brand experience, customer acquisition, customer engagement, and operational efficiency.

Dhriti also noted that the skills in demand are evolving in the Indian tourism sector. Traveltech, driven by AI and automation, will play a crucial role in providing comprehensive personal and business travel assistance, leading to increased demand for AI specialists, data operations, and cybersecurity experts. The hospitality industry will also see a pan-functional hiring spree to enhance capabilities in customer growth, loyalty, and satisfaction. The tour and travel industry, in particular, will see a rise in blue-collar hiring.

This is an excerpt from Dhriti’s discussion with The Economic Times on the hiring surge in the Indian Tourism sector. For details insights, please read the article in The Economic Times