“Tourism has the potential to bring prosperity to the lives of many. Our government will keep focusing on enhancing India’s tourism infrastructure to ensure more people can experience the wonders of Incredible India”

                                                                                                        -Prime Minister Narendra Modi

 

Introduction

Tourism is a dynamic sector that enhances cultural exchange, economic growth, and global connectivity. It serves as a bridge between people and places, showcasing the region's heritage, diversity, and natural beauty.

 The theme for World Tourism Day 2025 is “Tourism and Sustainable Transformation,” emphasising tourism’s power to promote positive change. Achieving this requires more than growth; it also involves good governance, strategic planning, effective monitoring, and clear priorities that are aligned with long-term sustainability.

Malaysia will host the World Tourism Day and the World Tourism Conference (WTC) 2025 in the city of Melaka from September 27th to 29th.

History & Significance

World Tourism Day, observed annually on September 27, is an initiative of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO). It commemorates the adoption of the UNWTO statutes in 1970and emphasises the sector's role in supporting the socio–economic growth of countries and advancing the global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It was celebrated for the first time in the year 1980.

Tourism in India

Tourism is one of the major economic sectors, contributing to exports and promoting global prosperity. In the last decade, the Government of India has taken up many transformative initiatives to scale up and revolutionise this sector so that it can realise its full potential as a force for economic growth, employment generation, and cultural diplomacy. As on June 2025, inbound tourism stood at 16.5 lakh visitors, while outbound tourism was recorded at 84.4 lakh travellers. This activity contributed to foreign exchange earnings amounting to Rs.51,532 crores.  In addition, as per the provisional estimates of the National Accounts Statistics 2025, the tourism sector contributed ₹Rs.15.73 lakh crore to India’s GDP in 2023-24, accounting for 5.22% of the total economy. Besides that, according to the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS), the sector generated 36.90 million direct employments and 47.72 million indirect employments, together accounting for 13.34% of total employment in the economy.

These initiatives, aligned with the government’s agenda of “Vikas” (development) and “Virasat” (heritage), have redefined the sector in terms of scale, inclusivity and sustainability. Some major highlights are as follows:

• India recorded approximately 56 lakh Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTAs) till August 2025.
• India recorded 303.59 crore Domestic Tourist Visits till August 2025.
• The total number of Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTAs) for medical purposes in India during 2025 (up to April) is 1,31,856, which constitutes approximately 4.1% of the total FTAs during this period.

Initiatives to Boost Tourism Sector in India 

Swadesh Darshan Scheme

In 2014-15, the Ministry of Tourism launched the Swadesh Darshan Scheme (SDS) to develop thematic tourism circuits across the country.  76 projects worth₹5,290.30 crore were sanctioned under identified themes, of which 75 projects have been physically completed.

• This scheme has been revamped as Swadesh Darshan 2.0 (SD2.0)in 2023 to develop sustainable tourism destinations that take a tourist- and destination-centric approach.
• Under SD2.0, over the last two years, the Ministry has sanctioned 52 projects worth ₹2,108.87 crore.
• A few of the sites that have been covered under the scheme include –

• Andaman and Nicobar Islands (Coastal Circuit): Development of Long Island, Ross Smith Island, Neil Island- Havelock Island,Baratang Island-Port Blair
• Bihar (Buddhist Circuit): Development of Buddhist circuit- Construction of Convention Centre at Bodhgaya
•  Arunachal Pradesh (North-east Circuit): Development of Bhalukpong- Bomdila and Tawang
• Assam (Wildlife Circuit): Development of Manas– Probitora– Nameri– Kaziranga– Dibru– Saikhowa
• Chhattisgarh (Tribal Circuit): Development of Jashpur- Kunkuri- Mainpat- Kamleshpur - Maheshpur -Kurdar - Sarodhadadar- Gangrel- Kondagaon– Nathiyanawagaon- Jagdalpur- Chitrakoot- Tirthgarh
• Himachal Pradesh (Himalayan Circuit): Development of Himalayan Circuit: Kiarighat, Shimla, Hatkoti, Manali, Kangra, Dharamshala, Bir, Palampur, Chamba
• Puducherry (Heritage Circuit): Development of Franco-Tamil Village, Karaikal, Mahe and Yanam
• Uttarakhand (Eco Circuit): Integrated Development of Eco-Tourism, Adventure Sports, and Associated Tourism Related Infrastructure for Development of Tehri Lake & Surroundings as New Destination-District Tehri

A few of the sites covered under the Swadesh Darshan 2.0 Scheme

S No	State/UT	Year of Sanction	Destination	Type of Experience	Sanctioned Cost (Rs. Cr)	Amount Authorised (Rs. Cr)
1	Bihar (East)	2024-25	Bodh Gaya	Spiritual/Wellness – Buddhist Meditation & Experience Centre	165.44	16.54
2	Himachal Pradesh (North)	2024-25	Una (Maa Chintpurni)	Pilgrimage/Temple Development – Maa Chintpurni Devi Temple	56.26	5.62
3	Karnataka (South)	2023-24	Hampi	Heritage/Community – Setting up of Traveller Nooks	25.63	2.56
4	Lakshadweep (Islands)	2024-25	Bangaram	Coastal/Leisure – Enhancement of Tourist Experience at Bangaram	81.18	8.11
5	Meghalaya (Northeast)	2023-24	Sohra	Adventure/Nature – Meghalayan Age Cave Experience	32.45	3.24
6	Punjab (Northwest)	2023-24	Amritsar	Cultural/Border – Border Tourism Experience at Attari	25.90	2.59

Under the Challenge-Based Destination Development (CBDD) scheme, a part of the Swadesh Darshan programme, the Ministry of Tourism has chosen 42 destinations across four key themes:

• Culture and Heritage
• Spiritual and Eco-Tourism
• Amrit Dharohar
• Vibrant Villages Programme.

Following proposals from various State Governments and UT Administrations, and in accordance with the scheme guidelines, the Ministry of Tourism has approved 36 projects across the country. These projects, sanctioned under the CBDD scheme, are being implemented by State Implementing Agencies, with a completion deadline set for March 2026.

A few of the projects covered under the CBDD scheme include -

S No	State/UT	Year of Sanction	Name of the Project	Theme	Sanctioned Cost (₹ Cr)	Amount Authorized (₹ Cr)
1	Chhattisgarh	2024-25	Development of Mayali Bagicha as Eco Tourism Destination	Ecotourism and Amrit Dharohar Sites	9.97	0.99
2	Gujarat	2024-25	The Sacred Ocean Retreat at Harsiddhi Shore, Porbandar	Spiritual Tourism	24.66	2.47
3	Manipur	2024-25	Development of Ancient Capital of Manipur, LangthabalKonug	Culture & Heritage	24.69	2.47
4	Nagaland	2024-25	Soulful Trails: The Impur Heritage Experience, Impur Village	Spiritual Tourism	24.94	2.50
5	Punjab	2024-25	Heritage Street – A Symbol of Peace and Harmony, Sri Anandpur Sahib	Spiritual Tourism	24.90	2.49
6	Telangana	2024-25	Development of Eco-Tourism Project at Nizam Sagar, Kamareddy	Ecotourism and Amrit Dharohar Sites	9.98	0.99

Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual Heritage Augmentation Drive (PRASHAD) Scheme

The Ministry of Tourism launched the Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual Heritage Augmentation Drive (PRASHAD) in 2014-15 to improve tourist convenience, accessibility, security, and cleanlinessat pilgrimage centres.

• PRASHAD is a Central Sector Scheme, financed by the Central Government. Projects are selected based on cultural significance, tourist footfall, and development potential, ensuring representation across states. Plans are prepared in consultation with state governments and local stakeholders to ensure sustainability and community benefit.
• As of August 2025, 54 projects covering 28 states and union territories have been sanctioned, with an approved assistance amount exceeding ₹ 1168 crore.
• The Scheme also aims to preserve the soul of the pilgrimage/heritage city through integrated, inclusive, and sustainable developments that would promote employment opportunities for the local communities.
• A few of the sites that have been redeveloped under the scheme are –

• Development of Tripura Sundari Temple, Tripura,
• Developmentof Pilgrimage Amenities at Sri Chamundeshwari Devi Temple, Karnataka,
• DevelopmentatPatna Sahib, Bihar,
• Developmentof Promenade at Somnath, Gujarat,
• Development at Hazratbal Shrine, Jammu and Kashmir,
• Development of Amarkantak, Madhya Pradesh.

Dekho Apna Desh Initiative

• The Ministry of Tourism launched the 'Dekho Apna Desh' initiative in January 2020 to promote domestic tourism in the country.
• Under this initiative, the Ministry promotes India's tourist destinations and products through various activities, including webinars, quizzes, pledges, seminars, tourism promotional events, familiarisation tours, roadshows, websites, and social media platforms.
• Additionally, the Ministry has launched the 'Dekho Apna Desh People’s Choice' poll to engage citizens and identify their favourite tourist attractions across the country.

Vibrant Villages Programme (VVP-I) & VVP-II Programme

The Vibrant Villages Programme-I (VVP-I), under the Ministry of Home Affairs, launched on 15th February 2023, is a central initiative to develop select villages in 46 blocks near the northern border across 19 districts in Arunachal Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Uttarakhand, and Ladakh.

• The programme targets specific villages for interventions that create livelihood opportunities by promoting tourism, cultural heritage, skill development, and entrepreneurship.

The Vibrant Villages Programme-II (VVP-II), on April 2, 2025, was approved by the Central Governmentas a Central Sector Scheme with a total budget of Rs. 6,839 crore until the financial year 2028-29.

• It aims to develop select strategic villages located in blocks adjacent to international land borders (ILB), excluding the Northern border areas already included under VVP-I.
• These villages are located in the states and Union Territories of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Gujarat, J&K (UT), Ladakh (UT), Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tripura, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal.

Special Assistance to the States for Capital Investment (SASCI)

• To develop an iconic tourist centre on a global scale, the SASCI scheme was launched by the Ministry of Tourism in July 2025.
• With the SASCI scheme, the centre aims to provide funding support for the comprehensive development of iconic sites and to develop an end-to-end tourist experience.
• The projects under the scheme were selected based on connectivity to the site, the existing tourism ecosystem, carrying capacity, availability of utilities, and other factors, and are to be completed within two years.
• While the government will provide financial support for the projects until March 31, 2026, the implementation and management of the sanctioned projects will rest with the respective State Governments.
• 40 projects worth Rs. 3295.76 crore were sanctioned with full central funding. These projects are expected to boost the local economy and create opportunities for artisans and the community.

Jal Mahal, Jaipur (Project under SASCI)

 

Capacity Building for Service Providers (CBSP) Scheme

• The Ministry, through its Capacity Building for Service Providers (CBSP) scheme, focuses on enhancing the skills and employability of individuals within the tourism and hospitality sector, with a particular emphasis on local communities, women, and tribal groups.
• Under this scheme, the Ministry has launched the Paryatan Mitra/Paryatan Didi initiative, which aims to empower local communities and women in tourism-related roles.

Incredible India Digital Portal & Incredible India Content Hub

The Incredible India Digital Portal is a tourist-centric, one-stop digital solution designed to enhance the travel experience for visitors to India. The portal offers essential information and services to travellers at every stage of their journey, from discovery and research to planning, booking, travelling, and returning.

• The Incredible India Digital Platform (IIDP) logged 294.76 crore domestic tourist visits in 2024.
• The portal offers a wealth of information on destinations, attractions, crafts, festivals, travel diaries, itineraries, and more, utilising multimedia content such as videos, images, and digital maps.
• The platform's ‘Book Your Travel’ feature provides a booking facility for flights, hotels, cabs, buses, and monuments, thereby enhancing accessibility for travellers.
• Additionally, an AI-powered chatbot functions as a virtual assistant to answer queries and provide real-time information to travellers.

On the occasion of World Tourism Day in 2024, the Ministry of Tourism launched the Incredible India Content Hub on the revamped Incredible India digital portal (www.incredibleindia.gov.in).

• The Incredible India Content Hub is a digital repository offering high-quality images, films, brochures, and newsletters about Indian tourism.
• It serves a diverse range of stakeholders, including tour operators, journalists, students, researchers, filmmakers, authors, influencers, content creators, government officials, and ambassadors.
• Part of the new digital portal, it aims to provide easy access for the global travel trade, including media, tour operators, and travel agents. The content is a collaborative effort among the Ministry of Tourism, the Archaeological Survey of India, the Ministry of Culture, and others.

 

Enhancement of Specific Tourism Sub-sectors

• Festival Tourism - The Central Government has introduced the ‘Utsav Portal’, a digital platform designed to highlight festivals, events, and live darshans across India. Its goal is to boost tourism by promoting various regions as popular destinations globally.
• Adventure Tourism- More than 120 new mountain peaks have been opened for Mountaineering/Trekking to give a boost to adventure tourism in the country.
• Wedding Tourism - The Ministry of Tourism launched the campaign "India says I do" to promote India as a top wedding destination globally. It uses digital marketing, websites, social media, influencers, and activations. ‘Wed in India’ is another initiative to boost wedding tourism.
• Cruise Tourism- River Cruise Voyages on National Waterways rose by 19.4% in 2024–25; 51 new cruise circuits planned across 14 states and 3 UTs by 2027 under Cruise Bharat Mission.The Government of India has implemented several initiatives to promote cruise tourism, including the Cruise Bharat Mission, which was launched in 2024. This program aims to capitalise on the country's vast potential in cruise tourism.

The initiative aims to excel India’s vision to become a global hub for cruise tourism and promote the country as the leading global cruise destination. The Cruise India Mission will be implemented in three phases, spanning from October 1, 2024, to March 31, 2029.

• Pilgrimage Tourism - The government is developing pilgrimage tourism via schemes like PRASHAD and Swadesh Darshan by improving infrastructure at religious sites. Recent actions include the opening of the redeveloped Tripura Sundari Temple and the proposal of50 new destinations in the 2024-25 Budget, highlighting a focus on spiritual tourism for growth.
• Medical Tourism- The Union Budget 2025-26 highlights it as a growth driver. Partnering with the private sector and the "Heal in India" initiative, tobe a global healthcare hub. It plans to attract international patients with top expertise, modern infrastructure, and traditional wellness systems like Ayurveda and Yoga, offering affordable, quality care.

 

Conclusion

The rise of tourism in India over the past few years has been remarkable, making a significant contribution to the nation's economy and its global image. From heritage sites to modern infrastructure, India's diverse attractions continue to draw millions of visitors annually. Initiatives like Dekho Apna Desh, PRASHAD, and Swadesh Darshan have revitalised the tourism sector, promoting both domestic and international travel. The government’s focus on infrastructure development, digital transformation, and cultural preservation has played a crucial role in positioning our nation as a world-class tourist destination. This growth not only boosts economic development but also strengthens India’s soft power on the global stage.

Reference Links:

Ministry of Tourism

https://tourism.gov.in/sites/default/files/2025-07/Quarterly%20%20Tourism%20Snapshot%20Jan-Mar%202025.pdf

Press Information Bureau:

https://www.pib.gov.in/FeaturesDeatils.aspx?id=154724&NoteId=154724&ModuleId=2

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https://www.investindia.gov.in/sector/tourism-hospitality

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