Union Minister for Culture and Tourism, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat called for more investments and greater private participation in taking the tourism sector to the next level.
Shekhawat said this while addressing a National Tourism Conclave organised by ASSOCHAM in the national capital. The next phase of tourism growth in the country, the Union Minister observed, has to look beyond just tourist numbers, but towards creating new destinations, designing new experiences, and above all, destination management itself.
“Tourism is emerging as an important driver of economic growth and employment, with the potential to play a much larger role in India’s journey towards Viksit Bharat 2047. As the economy grows and connectivity improves through highways, airports, railways and new transport corridors, the demand for tourism and travel experiences will also expand significantly. This will require greater investment and stronger participation from the private sector,” Shekhawat said.
The quality of the visitor experience is critical, and this requires investment in infrastructure, hospitality and human resource development across the tourism ecosystem, he opined. Technology will also be central to improving the tourism experience, from destination discovery, and parking to feedback and visitor services. The government has been working with technology companies, airlines and other platforms to strengthen this ecosystem, but greater private-sector participation and partnerships will be important, he informed.
Organised under the theme “Tourism as an Economic Engine: Technology, Policy, Investment & Global Partnerships,” the Conclave brought together government and industry stakeholders to discuss the policy and investment priorities required to strengthen tourism as a driver of economic growth, employment and regional development. Discussions focused on connectivity and destination infrastructure, investment facilitation, ease of travel, technology adoption, skills, destination development and stronger Centre-State-industry coordination.
The Minister’s remarks reinforced the need to expand tourism capacity beyond established destinations and create an investment ecosystem that can support rising travel demand. Destination infrastructure, hospitality capacity, skilled manpower and effective destination management will be increasingly important as new tourism circuits and experiences emerge.
Addressing the conclave, Nirmal K. Minda, President, ASSOCHAM, said, “India’s tourism sector is at a defining juncture, evolving beyond leisure into a powerful engine of economic growth, employment, investment and regional development. As we move towards Viksit Bharat 2047, ASSOCHAM believes there is a need to build a tourism ecosystem that is globally competitive, inclusive and sustainable.
ASSOCHAM together with CBRE released a report which highlighted growing opportunities across spiritual, MICE, wellness, cruise, rural and wildlife tourism, supported by improving connectivity through expressways, rail networks, ropeways and river-based circuits.
Minda said that by building closer industry engagement, ASSOCHAM “The ASSOCHAM-CBRE report highlights how improved connectivity and emerging segments such as spiritual, MICE, wellness, cruise, rural and wildlife tourism are opening new avenues for growth and investment. Through its industry engagement, Minda said, ASSOCHAM will continue to focus on five key pillars—Make in India, Ease of Doing Business, MSME growth, the Digital Economy and Sustainability—to support the sector’s next phase of growth.
“Through this Conclave, ASSOCHAM is bringing government and industry stakeholders together to identify opportunities, address sectoral priorities and translate them into actionable policy and investment roadmaps. This continued industry-policy dialogue will be critical to strengthening India’s tourism ecosystem and advancing the ambition of a $1 trillion tourism economy,” he said.
Dr. Subi Chaturvedi, Fr Member MAG, United Nations IGF, also stressed on looking beyond tourist footfall-oriented growth. The real measure of smart tourism was not impressions or footfall alone. It is whether every new journey creates shared value, supports local livelihoods and protects the heritage and character of the places people come to experience, she said. When technology, policy and private-sector innovation work together, tourism can become a powerful engine of inclusive growth for India, she informed.
Present on the occasion, Dr Arvind Kumar Sharma, Minister for Cooperation, Jails, Elections, Heritage and Tourism, Haryana, said, “Tourism has an important role to play in driving economic growth and creating opportunities across sectors. As we work towards the vision of a developed India by 2047, it is important that the benefits of tourism reach farmers, workers, MSMEs, entrepreneurs and communities.”
Anshuman Magazine, Chairman & CEO, India, South East Asia, Middle East and Africa, CBRE, said, “India has a strong tourism proposition, with its mix of heritage, spirituality, culture, wildlife, wellness, beaches and mountains. The opportunity now is to strengthen infrastructure, destination management, cleanliness and safety while leveraging technology and AI to create a more seamless travel experience. With greater collaboration between government and the private sector, tourism can become a major engine of employment and regional prosperity.”
Ravi Gosain, President, Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO) called for continued investment in connectivity, digital infrastructure, skills and lesser-known destinations to unlock the full potential of tourism in India. Stronger government-industry collaboration can help turn India’s tourism potential into greater economic opportunity and better experiences for travellers, he said.
The ASSOCHAM-CBRE report highlighted a broadening tourism ecosystem, with opportunities emerging across spiritual tourism, MICE and destination events, wellness and medical tourism, cruise circuits, rural tourism and wildlife experiences. These segments are creating demand not only for hotels but also for transport, retail, food and beverage, local enterprises, attractions and destination infrastructure.
The report noted that organised hotel occupancy increased to 64.1% in 2025 from 42.0% in 2021, while growth in average daily rates supported a recovery in RevPAR beyond pre-pandemic levels. Improving connectivity and the emergence of new destinations are also opening opportunities for hospitality and tourism investment beyond established markets.
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