To decongest India’s top tourist destinations that are witnessing a domestic travel boom, state governments have been tasked with creating 50 new iconic destinations that meet global standards, Union minister for culture and tourism Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said at the India Today Tourism Survey & Awards 2026 held in Goa recently.
“We have started proactively working with state governments to establish destination management authorities to holistically address the issues and challenges,” Shekhawat said in his keynote address themed ‘A return to roots: Tourism as a rediscovery of Bharat’. He added that the initiative will focus not only on tourist hotspots but on creating a 360-degree experience for travellers by working on the overall management of cities hosting these attractions.
The long-term goal, envisioned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is to cater to 100 million inbound tourists annually and increase the tourism sector’s contribution to the GDP to 10 per cent by 2047. When that goal is met, tourism will become the second-highest employment generator in the country, after agriculture.
“But the short-term goal is to ensure 7-7.5 per cent contribution to the GDP by 2030 and at least 30 million travellers coming to India, apart from NRIs who visit their home and families,” the minister said.
India currently hosts 20 million international travellers annually, including NRIs, and tourism’s contribution to the national GDP stands at 6 per cent. The largest segment of international visitors, nearly 70 per cent, are budget travellers; the luxury tier and backpackers form 15 per cent each.
However, the boom in domestic travel has also resulted in India becoming an expensive destination compared to its peers. Hence, to address that challenge and to unleash India’s tourism potential, the Union ministry has been working on policies to attract higher investment.
While the first step was to accord the status of infrastructure investment to hospitality projects, the priority is equally to ensure ease of doing business by working with the states on streamlining licences and compliances. “We have started incentivising states and handholding them to create new experiences in the bouquet of tourism products,” said Shekhawat.
The ministry is also focussing on forested and culturally-rich tribal areas that are now Maoism-free after years of conflict, Bastar in Chhattisgarh being an example. “We have started extending support and giving priority to states that were Naxal-affected earlier so that they can build up and create their infrastructure,” Shekhawat said. “With all responsibility, I’m saying that Bastar is going to be the new [tourism] destination of our country.”
FIVE KEY TAKEAWAYS
- India plans to create 50 new iconic tourist destinations.
- Focus on 360-degree traveller experience through better overall city management.
- The goal, envisioned by PM Modi, is to cater to 100 million tourists annually and increase the tourism sector’s contribution to the GDP to 10 per cent by 2047.
- The Union tourism ministry is handholding states on ease of doing business.
- Maoism-free areas are being given priority.
Subscribe to India Today Magazine
– Ends
