Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, Chief Minister, Himachal Pradesh has announced ₹2415 crore for strengthening the tourism infrastructure in the state. He said that wellness centres would be developed at Nadaun in Hamirpur district, Nagrota Bagwan in Kangra district, Kullu and Manali in Kullu district with a total cost of ₹280.39 crore.

ICRA expects Indian hospitality industry’s revenue to grow by 7-9 per cent YoY in FY2025 and 6-8 per cent YoY in FY2026. It estimates pan-India premium hotel occupancy to improve to 72-74 per cent in FY2026 from 70-72 per cent in FY2025. The ARRs for premium hotels may rise to ₹7,800-8,000 for FY2025 (up 8 per cent YoY) and to ₹8,000-8,400 in FY2026.

Federation of Andhra Pradesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FAPCCI) has proposed to the Governor of the Reserve Bank of India, to include tourism in the Priority Sector Lending (PSL) framework. It stated, “Such inclusion will ensure affordable credit, pave the way for sustainable development, and will catalyse investments, create jobs.”

As per Raja Yaqoob Farooq, Director Tourism, J&K, in 2024, the Union Territory witnessed 2.7 million tourist arrivals. Furthermore, the J&K administration launched an ambitious plan to develop 75 new tourist destinations, 75 heritage and cultural sites, 75 Sufi and religious sites, and 75 adventure treks, to attract tourists across all four seasons.

Suman Billa, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, GoI believes that a well-thought-out policy framework is essential to address existing challenges in the tourism sector. “We should undertake carrying capacity studies to assess factors such as vehicular traffic, room availability, waste management, disaster resilience, etc.,” he added.

As per Cleartrip report, in 2024, Southeast Asian destinations have emerged as travellers’ top choices due to affordable travel and payment innovations adopted by Gen Z and senior citizens. Bookings to Denpasar (Bali) surged by 73 percent compared to 2023. However, on domestic front, bookings to Agatti Island in Lakshadweep rose by 94 per cent, due to increased air connectivity.

FHRAI suggested Ministry of Tourism to establish a central portal by NCHMCT to address the ongoing human resource shortages and skill gaps faced by the hospitality industry. It also suggested updating curriculums every 3-5 years as per industry trends, and balancing the allocation of seats for both managerial and frontline roles.

Odisha CM Mohan Charan Majhi urged the Centre to announce a special package for the eastern state, stating that about ₹10,000 crore of investment was needed to create a world-class tourism infrastructure in Odisha. He made the demand at the pre-budget consultation meeting with Nirmala Sitharaman, Union Minister of Finance at Jaisalmer in Rajasthan.

The Ministry of Tourism expects 30.5 million international visitors to come to India by 2028. According to Pradeep Shetty, Vice President, FHRAI,  hotel occupancy rates are anticipated to rise to 75 per cent or higher, driven by increased leisure and business travel and a surge in foreign arrivals. The MICE segment is set to contribute significantly, with India hosting multiple high-profile global events.

Omar Abdullah, CM, Jammu and Kashmir urges to explore untapped potential of diverse tourist destinations in Jammu beyond Vaishno Devi. He said, “One crore plus yatris every year visit Jammu for darshan. If I could divert even 15 per cent of those yatris to other tourist destinations, it will do wonders for tourism in the region.”