Incredible India Campaign

The government has finalised — “Incredible India! Visit India Year 2023” — as its campaign tagline to revive international tourism post-COVID. Due to G20 Presidency and other events, India is likely to see as many international arrivals in 2023 as it had in pre-COVID 2019 at 1.7 crore.

What is the ‘Incredible India’ campaign?

• It is an international marketing campaign to promote tourism in India. It was launched as a Government of India initiative in the year 2002.
• The campaign was conceptualised in 2002 by V Sunil (while he was Creative Director, O&M Delhi), and Amitabh Kant, who was the then Joint Secretary in Ministry of Tourism.
• Objectives —
  • To promote India as the desirable destination among international travellers from the United States, Europe and Asia Pacific.
  • To build on the existing Incredible India campaign.
  • To attract more visitors to India.
  • To reach out to travellers in a cost-effective way.
• The campaign undertook such a marketing strategy that not only comprised of the traditional marketing media mix but also integrated online marketing.

Tourism in India –

• In the past 75 years, India has become synonymous with tourism, spirituality, transformation, culture and diversity.
• Tourism sector generated Rs 16.91 lakh crore (USD 240 billion) or 9.2% of India’s GDP in 2018.
  • It supported around 42.67 million jobs or 8.1% of total employment during that period.
• Out of the 1.7 crore international inbound in 2019, about 1.1 crore were foreign tourists.
• However, starting March 2020, international travel took an unprecedented hit with COVID. As a result, 2020 saw 27 lakh foreign tourists. In 2021, the number was at 15 lakh.
  • Since July 2020, Indian travel industry has been surviving primarily on domestic tourists.
• According to the India Tourism Statistics 2022, the arrival of NRIs had increased by 52.6% in 2021 compared to 2020.