New Delhi, April 29 (IANS) The travel and tourism sector in India, which registered remarkable growth post the Covid-19 pandemic, is expected to add 58.2 million jobs by 2033 throughout the country, a new report said on Monday.

In the pandemic year 2020, the tourism sector accounted for 39 million jobs, constituting 8 per cent of the country's total workforce. Talent demand in this sector registered a spike of 44 per cent in August last year, according to the global technology and digital talent solutions provider NBL Services.

Serving as a vital source of foreign exchange, the travel and tourism sector contributed Rs 15.9 trillion ($191.25 billion) to the country's economy in 2022 and was estimated at Rs 16.5 trillion in 2023.

Among the job roles that will continue to be in demand experiencing (year-on-year) surges include sales (18 per cent), business development (17 per cent), chefs (15 per cent), travel consultants (15 per cent), tour operators (15 per cent), wildlife experts (12 per cent), transportation providers (15 per cent), and more, the report mentioned.

From a location perspective, the top five states attracting domestic tourists so far include Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Maharashtra.

According to the report, the top cities driving the increase in hiring include Delhi NCR, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Pune, and Kochi.

Jaipur, Ahmedabad, and Chandigarh are among the tier two cities. In the coming nine years, new jobs are also expected across emerging cities in Gujarat, Lakshadweep, and West Bengal, according to the report.