NEW DELHI: India is aiming to get 10 crore foreign tourist arrivals (FTAs) by 2047, which will contribute 10% to the country’s theme expected GDP of $30 trillion. This is the aim set by Federation of Associations in Indian Tourism and Hospitality (FAITH), the apex policy body of India’s tourism sector. FAITH chairman Puneet Chhatwal said India is not an expensive destination in terms of hotels and that it has all that it takes to attract FTAs with its immense potential, while noting that massive infra creation is leading to increased footfalls here.“Historically we have seen flights to India are full and due to law of demand and supply, fares are higher. This is not necessarily the case with other parts of the world. In terms of the cost of India as a destination for a tourist, there are several aspect that do not come under the mandate of FAITH. So I would leave it at that,” Chhatwal, who is also the MD & CEO of Taj Hotels, said.Union tourism minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said: “Tourism is not merely a supporting sector, it is a nation-building sector. India’s culture and diversity is a kind of capital that no factory can manufacture, no artificial production house can create, and no technology can generate. Our goal is to make India the world’s most authentic experience destination. A country where heritage is alive, not merely surviving.”Gloria Guevara Manzo, former president and CEO of World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) and former Mexican tourism minister, said while France and Spain draw the most visitors worldwide, travellers from the United States and China currently spend more per trip — a gap she said represents a clear opportunity for India to target through focused promotion.Guevara Manzo pointed to the more than 8.8 crore tourism-related jobs expected to be created globally over the next decade, with India positioned to capture a significant share. She encouraged India to engage its global diaspora as informal ambassadors and highlighted the sector’s existing strengths.“It’s not that you have to create the assets. The assets are right here (pointing to India’s culture, nature, and cuisine). It seems that in India, we have 30 or more different countries — because the food is so different, so rich, so unique,” she said.