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India as a Tourism Hub Building a Globally Competitive, Inclusive, and Sustainable Visitor Economy (UPSC/RAS/PSI)

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Executive Summary & Macro Growth Metrics

  1. Economic Multiplier: Tourism acts as a key national growth engine, creating a wide economic ecosystem across hospitality, transport, handicrafts, food services, wellness, and local micro-enterprises.
  2. GDP Contribution: Contributed ₹15.73 lakh crore to India's GDP in FY 2023–24, representing 5.22% of the total economy.
  3. Employment Driver: Supported 84.6 million jobs across the tourism and hospitality sectors in FY 2023–24 (up from 69.44 million in 2019–20).
  4. Surge in International Arrivals: International Tourist Arrivals (ITAs) reached over 2.02 crore (2,02,17,769) in 2025, climbing significantly from 1.31 crore in 2014.
  5. International Forex Receipts: Foreign exchange earnings from international tourism reached approximately USD 31.7 billion in 2025.

India’s Core Tourism Asset Base & Diversity

  1. UNESCO World Heritage Sites: Features 44 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, reflecting India's civilizational and architectural legacy.
  2. Natural & Wildlife Wealth: Encompasses 106 National Parks and 18 Biosphere Reserves, serving as a foundation for eco-tourism and nature conservation.
  3. Spiritual & Pilgrimage Hub: Acts as the birthplace of Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism, attracting global pilgrims to circuits like Kashi, Ayodhya, Bodh Gaya, Amritsar, Tirupati, and Puri.
  4. Wellness & Medical Tourism: Integrates global demand for traditional healing (Ayurveda, Yoga, Naturopathy) with modern, cost-effective, high-quality medical healthcare systems.
  5. MICE & Soft Power Projection: Rapidly emerging as a global destination for Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions (MICE), bolstered by world-class venues like Bharat Mandapam and the legacy of hosting 200+ G20 meetings across 60+ cities.

Infrastructure-Led Destination Development Schemes

  1. Swadesh Darshan 1.0 & 2.0: Sanctioned 76 projects (₹5,295.24 crore) across 14 thematic circuits under version 1.0 (75 physically completed). Version 2.0 shifts to a sustainable, experience-based destination-centric model with 53 sanctioned projects (₹2,207.08 crore).
  2. PRASHAD Scheme: Sanctioned 54 projects worth ₹1,726.24 crore to enhance visitor amenities and infrastructure at major pilgrimage and heritage destinations.
  3. Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment (SASCI): Approved 40 projects across 23 States with an outlay of ₹3,295.76 crore to upgrade iconic tourist sites to international standards.
  4. Challenge-Based Destination Development (CBDD): Sanctioned 37 projects (₹687.99 crore) targeting high-potential eco-tourism and spiritual sites via competitive state bidding.
  5. Viksit UDAN & Connectivity Rail: Enhancing regional connectivity through an outlay of over ₹28,840 crore to build 100+ new aerodromes and 200 helipads, linking Tier-2/Tier-3 regional tourism circuits.

Digital Tourism, Travel Facilitation & Startup Ecosystem

  • e-Tourist Visa Expansion: Extended e-Tourist Visa facilities to nationals of 175 countries, accessible through 33 designated airports, 19 seaports, and 4 land ports.
  • NIDHI+ Portal: Functioning as a unified digital platform for the registration, recognition, and online classification of hospitality service providers, travel agents, and aggregators.
  • Tourism Startup Growth: Supported 1,497 DPIIT-recognized travel startups across 262 districts (generating 13,919 direct jobs), with 58% located in Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities.
  • Travel-Tech Innovations: Platforms like Highway Delite (highway amenities network), VilloTale (rural homestays), and udChalo (defense travel services) are driving tech-enabled accessibility.
  • Global Promotion: Leveraging integrated digital marketing campaigns like Incredible India, international travel marts, and strategic technology partnerships with Google India.

Sustainable Tourism & SDG Alignment

  • Travel for LiFE Alignment: Encouraging eco-friendly traveler behavior and distributing visitor flows away from overcrowded locations toward rural and nature trails.
  • Community-Based Rural Tourism: Promoting homestays, village walks, local handicrafts, and regional culinary experiences to ensure direct income generation for rural households.
  • SDG 8.9 (Decent Work & Economic Growth): Direct alignment by driving sustainable tourism that generates local employment, supports regional cultures, and promotes indigenous products.
  • SDG 12.B (Responsible Consumption & Production): Developing institutional monitoring tools to evaluate and mitigate the environmental impacts of tourism.
  • SDG 14.7 (Life Below Water): Promoting sustainable coastal, island, and marine tourism while protecting fragile aquatic ecosystems.

Source: PIB