Tourism Ministry

A horrific blaze in Goa’s Arpora was symptomatic of India’s weak capacity to enforce rules. This calls for a mindset change to fulfill our tourism potential. Budget tourism, especially religious travel, could yield huge gains if we devote attention to this segment.

Rajasthan was the big gainer of a post-pandemic surge in tourism within India. But with wobbly capital inflows—even if our trade deficit’s looking better—the economy needs an exponential rise in dollar-spending foreign tourists.

Whether gains outweigh the costs of hosting such large-scale sporting events is unclear, but since we’ve already decided on a 2036 Olympics bid, should we win, CWG could serve as a test run.

India's travel and tourism industry thrived in 2024, with total spending reaching ₹21 trillion and supporting 46.5 million jobs. The sector is expected to grow but requires increased investment in marketing and infrastructure to remain competitive on a global scale.

Amid ongoing geopolitical tensions, Indian travelers are canceling trips to Turkey and Azerbaijan, resulting in a 31% drop in hotel bookings and a 61% decrease in flight bookings. Travel agencies are shifting focus to alternative destinations as cancellations surge.

According to industry experts, Kashmir had become a preferred tourist destinations over the past two years. But after the 22 April attack in Pahalgam's Baisaran meadow, tourists are considering destinations in other hill states such as Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh

Tribal ways of life and a treasure trove of biodiversity are too high a price to pay for Great Nicobar Island’s transformation. Mega projects like this one, with a budget of ₹81,000 crore, mustn’t escape the scrutiny of reason.