<h1>Union minister cites tourism's Rs 20 lakh crore GDP role, 84 million jobs, 20M inbound tourists, 2.94B trips</h1> A union minister announced that the tourism sector contributes approximately Rs 20 lakh crore to national GDP, supports over 84 million livelihoods, and recorded 20 million inbound tourists and 2.94 billion domestic trips in the prior year, projecting a compound annual growth rate above 25%. The statement, made at a state tourism event, emphasized government prioritization of tourism through significant investments in highways, airports, waterways and digital infrastructure to facilitate travel. Legal implications include potential regulatory focus on infrastructure contracts, land use and local enterprise regulation, labor and tourism licensing, and oversight of public investment and claims supporting economic projections.