The Next Tourism Minister: An Opportunity Beyond a Cabinet Reshuffle

For the last few weeks there has been a continuous buzz around an imminent cabinet reshuffle at the Centre. Names are doing the rounds—some speculative, some more probable. Only the Prime Minister and his closest advisers know who finally fits the bill. It would be safe to assume that the tourism portfolio, among others, could also witness a change. This is the halfway stage of the current government’s term, and there is a widely acknowledged need for a fresh look, bringing in youth balanced with experience. Some ministers are expected to make way, while new allies also need to be accommodated. The Prime Minister is believed to be keen on a cabinet that brings renewed energy to the government, with several unfinished tasks that now need to be carried through.

As someone from the tourism sector, should there be a change, one naturally wonders who will don this hat. Every person is capable in his or her own way; what matters is aptitude, the right exposure and the willingness to break new ground. Tourism appears to be one of the simplest assignments, though in reality it remains among the most complex. Everyone believes they understand tourism because everyone has travelled. Yet not everybody considers it a prized portfolio, particularly when seen alongside heavyweight ministries such as Finance, Commerce, Defence or External Affairs. Not everyone appreciates its economic significance or understands the composite nature of what makes a destination truly tourism-friendly.

Perhaps that is tourism’s greatest paradox. It appears to be everyone’s business, yet it often ends up being nobody’s responsibility. The ministry therefore needs leadership that sees tourism not merely as promotion, but as an instrument of economic development, employment generation and national soft power.

I recall the late Purshottam Kaushik, who became Minister for Tourism and Civil Aviation in the Janata government in 1977. I met him just days after he was sworn in. Having taken his first-ever flight from Raipur in difficult weather, he spoke more about the experience of flying than about the ministry itself. More recently, a tourism secretary was reportedly chosen almost by chance, when it emerged at the last minute that he held a doctorate in tourism. Tourism deserves better than chance. It needs the right fit—someone who can become an ally of the sector and get cracking from day one. There are undoubtedly names that fit this profile; naming them is neither necessary nor the purpose of this piece. One can only hope that tourism finds its rightful occupant.

What would be particularly encouraging is if tourism were entrusted to a senior minister from the ruling party. That would signal the importance the sector deserves, but seldom receives. Tourism needs someone who can work across ministries, whose voice carries weight within the cabinet and whose intervention commands attention. Tourism deserves a minister whose stature lends weight to the portfolio, rather than the portfolio having to build the minister’s stature.

Which brings us to another pressing need. Tourism must now be adopted in mission mode, bringing together the many disciplines that collectively shape the visitor experience. Urban Development must make our cities more visitor-friendly. Civil Aviation, Railways and Road Transport must provide seamless connectivity. Culture must be recognised as a central pillar of the tourism product. Several other ministries have equally important roles to play. Tourism therefore needs a leader who understands both government and industry—someone who can serve as an effective bridge between the two from the very first day. The mission must get underway immediately, without losing precious months in merely understanding familiar challenges.

We now wait to see how events unfold. As the Prime Minister has repeatedly described tourism as the “mother industry”, one hopes the forthcoming choices will reflect that conviction. Tourism deserves not merely a new minister, but renewed purpose, renewed authority and a place much closer to the centre of India’s economic strategy.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Navin Berry, Editor, CS Conversations, over five decades has edited publications like CityScan, India Debates and Travel Trends Today. He is the founder of SATTE, India’s first inbound tourism mart, biggest in Asia.
Blogs at: https://www.csconversations.in/nb-blogs