Category Archives: States

Mizoram experienced a significant increase in tourist arrivals in 2024–25, attracting 524,784 visitors, comprising 518,873 domestic and 5,911 international visitors, according to the state tourism department. The growth represents a 139.5% increase compared to the previous financial year. However, the growth trend for foreign tourists is expected to decline in the coming years due to the Centre’s decision to reimpose the Protected Area Regime (PAR) from December 2024. The move requires foreigners to obtain a Protected Area Permit (PAP) before entering Mizoram and certain other northeastern states.

India’s homestay sector is emerging as a powerful driver of tourism, culture, and community-led growth. According to NITI Aayog’s report ‘Rethinking Homestays: Navigating Policy Pathways’, the market reached ₹4,722 crore in 2024, growing at 11% CAGR. Key trends reveal that 69% of Indian travellers prefer offbeat destinations and 72% actively support local communities, while digital nomads fuel long-term stays. Despite this promise, challenges, such as complex registration, fragmented policies, and limited incentives, persist. With streamlined single-window systems, tax relief, and capacity-building measures, the sector could unlock massive potential in women-led entrepreneurship, cultural revival, and sustainable tourism.

As per MakeMyTrip’s latest findings, pilgrimage travel trends highlight broad-based momentum with 34 destinations recording double-digit growth and 15 destinations growing by over 25%. The strong growth in pilgrimage demand is also driving an aggressive expansion of accommodation supply across key destinations. The breadth of growth across pilgrimage destinations can be seen in centres such as Prayagraj (Uttar Pradesh), Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh), Ayodhya (Uttar Pradesh), Puri (Odisha), Amritsar (Punjab) and Tirupati (Andhra Pradesh), which continue to grow.

For the first time, the Directorate of Tourism, Uttar Pradesh, has invited proposals from investors to develop and operate farm stay accommodations across the state. Jaiveer Singh, Tourism Minister, UP, said that the state is taking rural tourism to the next level with a vision that is entirely new. “This initiative is not just about creating farm accommodations — it is about turning our villages into vibrant centres of culture, livelihood, and learning. Tourists today are eager to escape concrete jungles and experience authentic farm life — from milking cows at dawn to sharing meals in rural kitchens. We are ready to provide that warmth, simplicity, and authenticity,” he said.

Sharing his views on the revised GST, Amitabh Kant, former G20 Sherpa and ex-CEO, NITI Aayog, says, “India needs to be ahead of the curve in cutting edge areas of sustainable growth. This will enable tech innovation.” He agrees that India, the fourth-largest economy, can’t wait till 2027 for CAFE-III. If Net Zero and Viksit Bharat 2047 are the goal, stricter fuel-efficiency norms must be achieved sooner.

Suman Billa, Additional Secretary & Director General, Ministry of Tourism, GoI, delivering an inspiring keynote address at the India Travel Awards 2025, highlighted tourism’s vital role in national development and India’s global positioning as a leading travel destination. “India’s tourism growth is inevitable — the true challenge lies in how we grow. To achieve our vision of becoming a $3 trillion tourism economy by 2047, we must focus not just on numbers, but on excellence and quality that make India a proud global service leader,” he said.

Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Union Minister, Tourism and Culture, said, “We must focus on private sector–led tourism hub development and a Product-Linked Incentive (PLI)-based Destination Maturity model. These insights will guide the final design and rollout of these schemes, strengthening our shared vision of sustainable and world-class tourism.” He was addressing a gathering at a day-long national consultation, convened by Ministry of Tourism with participation from states and UTs, industry leaders and investors. Nearly 200 stakeholders came together to chart the roadmap for developing destinations of global standards.

The 5th edition of Rajasthan Domestic Travel Mart (RDTM) is all set to take place from 12–14 September 2025 at BM Birla Convention Centre in Jaipur. With the theme ‘Explore, Discover and Experience’, the event will serve as a platform for hospitality brands, heritage and boutique hotels, and wedding destinations to connect with key stakeholders from across India. Recently, as a pre-cursor to RDTM 2025, a stakeholder’s meet was jointly organised by the Federation of Hospitality and Tourism of Rajasthan (FHTR) and the Rajasthan Tourism Department in Jodhpur. In his address at the meet, Maharaja Gaj Singh II of Marwar-Jodhpur and Chief Patron, FHTR, said, “Rajasthan’s cultural diversity, historical heritage, and incomparable hospitality make it a precious tourist destination not only in India but in the world. Platforms like RDTM are proving to be helpful in taking the tourism business of the state to new heights.” Significance of RDTM The last edition of RDTM was attended by over 240 national buyers and 280 Rajasthan based sellers. Over 7,000 B2B meetings were conducted, generating an impressive number of leads for hotel bookings, curated experiences, and destination weddings. The platform has clearly proven its effectiveness in boosting the state’s tourism business.

Jaiveer Singh, Minister of Tourism, Government of Uttar Pradesh, claimed that home- stays will become a new centre of attraction for tourists coming to the state. Under Uttar Pradesh Bed and Breakfast (B&B) and Homestay Policy, 2025, Lucknow residents have shown interest in registering their homes as homestays in a bid to offer affordable stays to guests.

Underlining the importance of the use of vernacular languages in travel marketing, Romil Pant, Executive Vice President & Head – Holidays, Thomas Cook India, says, “Travel is all about comfort, confidence, and convenience, and nothing delivers those better than communicating in one’s own language. Our data shows why regional language marketing has been such a success story for large operators like us. From websites to social media, print ads to face-to-face conversations, the adoption of local languages has consistently driven higher engagement and bookings, especially with Thomas Cook’s new initiatives like Bengali-language group tours during Durga Pooja.”