Visa Forges Partnership With Skill India to Empower 20,000 Youth for India’s Flourishing Tourist Sector

Nitin Konde, Apoorva Bajj

Sep 4, 2024 — 2 min read

Visa Forges Partnership With Skill India to Empower 20,000 Youth for India’s Flourishing Tourist Sector

Visa, a world leader in digital payments, and the Tourism & Hospitality Skill Council (THSC), which is overseen by the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Government of India have inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for a three-year collaboration with a potential value of $1 million. At a recently concluded event, Jayant Chaudhary, Minister of State (Independent Charge) of India's Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship (MSDE) and Minister of State of the Ministry of Education, officially launched an initiative to train 20,000 young people in skills relevant to the tourism industry.

Training young people in 10 states—including Assam, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, and West Bengal—to improve the quality of service provided to tourists is the goal of the cooperation, which expands on Visa's previous work with the Ministry of Tourism. Coursework will center on domestic tourism's essential occupations, including those of tour guides, customer service representatives, naturalists, and tandem paraglider pilots.

Leaders Comment

At the signing of the memorandum of understanding, Minister Jayant Chaudhary stated that the tourist industry in India could create millions of employment and propel the country's economy forward. Joining forces with Visa is a game-changer in our quest to tap into this untapped potential, train the next generation to be successful in the tourism industry, and elevate India to the status of a world-class tourist destination. The Ministry's mutual goal of providing young Indians with the knowledge, opportunity, and support they need to build their futures and make meaningful contributions to India's progress is at the heart of this partnership.

According to Visa's Vice Chair, Chief People and Corporate Affairs Officer Kelly Mahon Tullier, the company's goal is to help young people find better jobs and have a better time while visiting India by providing them with the skills they need to succeed in the tourism industry. By collaborating with the Tourism and Hospitality Skill Council (THSC) and receiving backing from the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Visa continues to demonstrate its steadfast dedication to India through the cultivation of talent and the endorsement of the government's goal of elevating the country to the forefront of global tourism.

Visa Wants Further Strengthen India’s Tourism Sector

Visa, India's largest payment network, has invested heavily in the country's tourist industry in recent years. The Ministry of Tourism has been able to promote India's many tourist attractions on a global scale with the help of Visa's insightful data and analytics, which has increased inbound tourism.

In 2023, the tourist industry in India employed over 42 million people and contributed over $231 billion to the country's gross domestic product (GDP). As the number of people looking to travel after the pandemic increases, the NSDC-Visa program will help train workers to meet demand, allowing India to realize its dream of being a major tourist destination.