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THSC and Visa Partnership to Upskill Youth for India’s Tourism Sector

The Tourism and Hospitality Skill Council (THSC) has partnered with Visa to launch a significant upskilling initiative aimed at enhancing India’s tourism sector. The three-year collaboration, valued at $1 million USD, will provide training to 20,000 young people across 10 Indian states, focusing on tourism-related roles such as tour guides, customer service representatives, and paragliding pilots. This initiative is expected to elevate the service experience for both domestic and international tourists.

The MoU signing ceremony was attended by key officials, including Shri Jayant Chaudhary, Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, and Visa’s Vice Chair, Kelly Mahon Tullier. The collaboration builds on Visa’s ongoing work with the Ministry of Tourism to promote India as a global destination. Through its data and analytics expertise, Visa has been instrumental in increasing inbound tourism by providing insights to help position India’s diverse offerings.

Shri Jayant Chaudhary highlighted the potential of the tourism sector to drive economic growth and create jobs, stating that this partnership will equip youth with the necessary skills to support India’s goal of becoming a premier global tourist destination. The initiative aligns with the government’s broader vision of empowering young Indians and strengthening the country’s tourism infrastructure.

This program is a key step toward addressing the growing demand for skilled professionals in the post-pandemic tourism landscape. As the tourism industry contributed over $231 billion to India’s GDP and employed over 42 million people in 2023, this collaboration aims to ensure a skilled workforce to support the country’s ambitions of becoming a global tourism hub

Launch of Skill Gap Study Report and Annual Industry Partners Meet 2024

The Tourism and Hospitality Skill Sector Council (THSC) has launched its highly anticipated report on the Demand and Skill Gap, alongside the Annual Industry Partners Meet. The Annual Industry Partners Meet 2024 was conducted under the theme of “Navigating the Future: Bridging Skill Gaps for the Tourism and Hospitality Industry.”

THSC is pleased to announce that the Demand Skill Gap Study report, was unveiled by Mr. Atul Kumar Tiwari, Secretary of the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, along with Ms. Jyoti Mayal, Chairperson THSC, in the presence of dignitaries: Ms. Vinita Aggarwal, Executive Member, NCVET; Ms. Neena Phuja, Executive Member, NCVET; Col. Mahendra Payaal, Chief Program Officer, NSDC; Mr. Risikesh Patankar, VP, Industry & Academia Collaboration, NSDC at India Habitat Centre on March 21, 2024.

A demand and skill gap study was deemed necessary due to evolving consumer preferences, government focus on niche sectors, and advancements in technology. The study aimed to address changing customer preferences such as adventure tourism, eco/sustainable tourism, wellness and medical tourism, and entrepreneurial aspirations. Additionally, it considered the government’s emphasis on niche sub-sectors like cruise tourism, rural tourism, and religious tourism, along with the impact of advancing technologies such as big data, artificial intelligence, and automation.

The Skill Gap report launch was followed by an Industry Partner meeting which revolved around “Navigating the Future: Bridging Skill Gaps for the Tourism and Hospitality Industry.” The agenda encompassed a series of pertinent discussions and presentations aimed at addressing key challenges and opportunities within the sector. Scheduled sessions include insightful presentations on the implementation of the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) framework under the National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (NAPS), a panel discussion focusing on the multifaceted challenges and issues encountered by the industry, particularly concerning the demand-supply gap and the efficacy of the Recruit, Train, and Deploy model, as well as deliberations on the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) and the significance of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).