The forthcoming ‘Commonwealth Games’ will boost the tourism sector in a big way. An Assocham study has indicated that half a million jobs would be created in the sectors including aviation, hotels and tour operating service.

The study has projected that during Commonwealth Games, around one million foreign tourists are expected to visit India. With modernising of Delhi and Mumbai international airports and revamping of other 35 airports, the aviation sector alone would create over 2.5 lakh jobs.

The civil aviation sector would reap maximum benefit under these circumstances. The sector is estimated to grow to the size of Rs 35,000 crore by 2010. Airports would handle over 114 million passengers including 45 million foreign travelers, the chamber adds. In the present scenario, the domestic aviation passengers are growing at 50 per cent. The segment would record a growth rate of 70-75 per cent by 2010 with induction of 200 large commercial aircraft.

Apart from aviation, hoteliers would see tremendous growth. More than 70 hotel projects are in the development stage. These hotels would additional capacity of around 19,000 rooms by 2010. In the national capital region alone, 27 new hotels are coming up with the additional capacity of around 4,900 rooms in next 2-3 years, the chamber says. This sector is estimated to create additional 0.15 million job for both, skilled and unskilled workforce.