Impact of Air Pollution on Indian Tourism: Unexamined and Unaddressed

No official study has been conducted by India's Ministry of Tourism to assess the impact of air pollution on tourism and related revenue losses, according to Union Tourism Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat. Despite inquiries about economic impacts and potential solutions, the focus remains on alternative tourism circuit development.

The Ministry of Tourism has yet to explore the economic toll that air pollution is taking on India's tourism sector, as revealed during a session in Parliament on Monday.

Responding to questions in the Lok Sabha, Union Tourism Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat confirmed that no study has been carried out to gauge the impact of deteriorating air quality on tourism revenue, particularly in northern India.

Although prompted to consider air quality metrics in developing tourism infrastructure, the ministry is instead expanding efforts like the Swadesh Darshan 2.0 to enhance alternative tourism circuits without yet measuring the pollution threat.

(With inputs from agencies.)