India Sets Ambitious 2030 Goal: National Tourism Sector to Drive Ten Percent GDP Growth, Vision Unveiled in New Delhi

Published on May 31, 2025

In a strategic move to bolster its economy, India has set an ambitious goal: to double the tourism sector’s contribution to its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) from the current 5% to 10% by 2030. This initiative, announced by Union Minister for Tourism and Culture Gajendra Singh Shekhawat at the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) Annual Business Summit in New Delhi, aims to align India with global tourism benchmarks.

The plan underscores the importance of infrastructure development, cultural heritage promotion, and the expansion of domestic tourism. By enhancing roads, railways, and airports, and by investing in spiritual and cultural sites, the government seeks to create a more accessible and enriching experience for travelers.

A significant aspect of this strategy is the focus on domestic tourists, recognizing their potential to drive the sector’s growth. The government is also encouraging corporate involvement to boost Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions (MICE) tourism, further diversifying the tourism landscape.

This comprehensive approach reflects India’s commitment to transforming its tourism sector into a major economic pillar, fostering job creation, and showcasing its rich cultural tapestry to the world.

India’s Vision for Tourism: Aiming for 10% GDP Contribution by 2030

Strategic Objectives:

Infrastructure Enhancement: Upgrading transportation networks to improve accessibility to tourist destinations.

Cultural and Spiritual Tourism Promotion: Leveraging India’s rich heritage to attract both domestic and international tourists.

Domestic Tourism Expansion: Encouraging local travel to reduce reliance on international visitors.

MICE Tourism Development: Positioning India as a hub for business-related travel and events.

Infrastructure Development

The government’s emphasis on infrastructure is central to the tourism growth strategy. Major investments are being made in roadways, railways, aviation, and urban transit systems to ensure easier access to popular and emerging tourist destinations. These efforts include expanding regional air connectivity, modernizing railway stations near heritage sites, and enhancing road networks in remote cultural corridors.

One standout success is the Ujjain Mahakal Corridor, a spiritual tourism mega-project that has already drawn over 1 million visitors in a single month. This project is a model for replicable spiritual circuits across India, integrating infrastructure with storytelling, heritage conservation, and crowd management.

Promoting Cultural and Spiritual Tourism

India is positioning its vast cultural legacy and spiritual geography as a cornerstone of its tourism growth. From iconic temples in Tamil Nadu to sacred ghats in Varanasi, the country offers unmatched diversity in spiritual experiences.

The Ministry of Tourism plans to enhance tourist experiences through multilingual digital guides, QR-based storytelling systems, and enhanced visitor amenities at monuments and pilgrimage sites. These initiatives are also aligned with the Incredible India 2.0 campaign, which focuses on immersive and theme-based tourism circuits.

Rising Importance of Domestic Tourists

Post-pandemic travel patterns have revealed a significant surge in domestic travel. Minister Shekhawat emphasized that India’s internal market has enormous potential to sustain tourism growth, especially with the rise of aspirational middle-class families and a younger population interested in weekend getaways, heritage stays, and eco-tourism.

By targeting domestic travelers with improved amenities, flexible travel products, and state-driven promotions, India aims to reduce dependence on international arrivals and maintain year-round visitor flow.

MICE Tourism: A High-Potential Growth Segment

India is making a concerted push to become a leader in the MICE segment, aiming to host more global summits, industry expos, and corporate retreats. Shekhawat urged corporates to hold conferences domestically to promote India as a viable destination for business travel.

Government-backed initiatives include:

• Developing world-class convention centers in major cities like Delhi, Hyderabad, and Mumbai
• Incentivizing state governments to bid for international events
• Streamlining visa processes for business travelers
• Creating synergy between tourism and commerce ministries to attract investment

Policy Support and Economic Roadmap

A key enabler in achieving the 2030 target is granting infrastructure status to the tourism sector. This move is expected to unlock private capital, ease access to long-term financing, and stimulate public-private partnerships.

Additionally, the government is identifying 50 next-generation tourism destinations to be developed with state-specific branding, sustainable infrastructure, and smart tourism facilities. These emerging destinations will focus on eco-tourism, tribal culture, and rural experiences, extending tourism beyond the traditional Golden Triangle circuit.

State Collaboration and the Role of Local Governance

The success of this national roadmap hinges on collaboration with state governments, which are being asked to propose innovative, experience-driven tourism projects. Many states have already initiated heritage walks, light-and-sound shows, and village homestay schemes that integrate local economies with tourism.

The Centre is also incentivizing states through performance-based grants, pushing for decentralized planning and community engagement to make tourism inclusive and economically viable for rural regions.

Digital and Experiential Tourism Initiatives

Digital transformation is central to modernizing India’s tourism sector. The government is deploying tools such as:

• Virtual tour platforms for monuments
• Mobile apps for bookings, maps, and multilingual guides
• AI-based tourist safety and crowd management systems
• Online feedback portals for real-time service improvement

These innovations aim to build a frictionless experience for both international and domestic travelers.

In parallel, the Centre is promoting experiential tourism at sites of historical importance. This includes curated storytelling, local artisan showcases, and interactive workshops that engage visitors beyond sightseeing.

Tourism as an Engine for Economic Growth

The tourism sector already contributes around 5% of India’s GDP and supports over 43 million jobs across allied industries such as hospitality, transport, and retail. By 2030, with the new target, the government expects the sector to emerge as a core driver of employment, particularly in tier-2 and tier-3 cities.

Tourism’s multiplier effect on regional economies — including artisans, guides, small-scale hospitality operators, and cultural performers — makes it a potent tool for inclusive development.

Conclusion

India’s goal of achieving 10% of GDP from tourism by 2030 is not just a visionary statement — it is backed by a structured, inclusive, and multi-sectoral approach. With a focus on infrastructure, cultural authenticity, digital innovation, and domestic engagement, the government is reshaping India into a globally competitive travel destination.

As this transformation unfolds, travelers — both Indian and international — will find more reasons to explore the diverse, spiritual, and vibrant heart of India, while the country reaps the economic and social dividends of a thriving tourism ecosystem.