Cultural tourism impact on the road map of an employment opportunity in South India

Tourism is not only a growth engine but also an employment generator. According to the Economic Survey 2011–12, the sector has the capacity to create large scale employment both direct and indirect, for diverse sections in society, from the most specialized to unskilled workforce. It provides 6–7 per cent of the world's total jobs directly and millions more indirectly through the multiplier effect as per the UN's World Tourism Organization (UNWTO). The importance of tourism as a creator of job opportunities can be understood from the fact that in India every one million invested in tourism creates 47.5 jobs directly and around 85–90 jobs indirectly in the way of exploring by cultural based tourism. In comparison, agriculture creates only 44.6 jobs and manufacturing a mere 12.6 jobs. Moreover tourism is the third largest foreign exchange earner after gems and jewelers and ready made garments