<h1>Government highlights tourism's Rs20 lakh crore GDP role, 84 million livelihoods, urges continued public infrastructure investment</h1> A Union Minister for Culture and Tourism stated that the tourism sector contributes about Rs 20 lakh crore to national GDP, supports roughly 84 million livelihoods, and saw 20 million inbound tourists and 2.94 billion domestic trips last year, projecting a CAGR above 25%. The remarks frame tourism as a national priority and justify continued public investment in highways, airports, waterways and digital infrastructure to facilitate travel and market access for local enterprises. Potential legal implications include regulatory prioritization, allocation of public funds, and oversight of infrastructure and tourism-related livelihoods policies.