“India’s regional airports can unlock new destinations and democratise travel. If we connect them with well-crafted, thematic tourism circuits, we can drive demand beyond the usual hotspots,” said Suman Billa, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Tourism. He urged closer alignment between the UDAN scheme and tourism promotion strategies. “Every small airport should become a launchpad for a unique Indian experience,” he added.

C.B. Ramkumar, Vice Chairman, Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC), stressed on the need for an updated national framework for sustainable tourism in India. He said, “Sustainable Tourism Criteria for India (STCI), launched over a decade ago, is now outdated and no longer reflects the current global standards. The STCI document exists, but it is redundant. It is not applicable in the world we live in today.”

Asserting that the idea of sustainability is embedded in Indian ethos, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Union Minister of Tourism, said, “There is a need to create success stories on sustainability in the tourism sector and replicate them across the country.” He also said all stakeholders of the sector must work with a collective vision to achieve sustainability in the truest sense.

In 2024, India’s hospitality sector shifted focus to tier II and III cities like Amritsar and Bikaner, accounting for nearly half of hotel transactions, as per JLL report. CY 2024 witnessed 42,071 keys in terms of branded hotel signings and 11,352 keys in terms of branded hotel openings. As many as 77 per cent of these signings were concentrated in tier II and III cities.

January 2025 Tourism Watch Quarterly Report by the World Bank Group noted that India’s initiatives such as e-Medical Visa and marketing campaigns like ‘Heal in India’ have bolstered India’s medical tourism. In 2023, the country attracted 476,000 foreign patients, which is among the highest in the world.

Himanshu Patil, President, OTOAI, “6th convention of OTOAI will take place in the magnificent city of Moscow from 10-13 July 2025.” He added, “Post-pandemic, Russia has made a very positive move by simplifying the visa process for Indians. This clearly reflects their intention to welcome us and strengthen tourism ties between our countries. We are confident this convention will help boost mutual tourism opening new avenues for cooperation.”

Suman Billa, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, GoI, said, “From predictive analytics to smart visitor management, digital innovation will define the next era of travel.” He emphasised on government’s push for tech-driven solutions, citing opportunities for collaboration between startups, airlines and tourism bodies.

Omar Abdullah, Chief Minister, Jammu & Kashmir, revealed plans to develop nine new tourist destinations with multilateral funding. Speaking at ICC Aviation and Tourism Conference, he emphasised shifting from volume to value tourism to ease pressure on saturated hotspots like Gulmarg and Srinagar. “We must move up the value chain,” he said, adding that newer sites would boost sustainable growth and tourist experience.

At a recent PATA forum, Mugdha Sinha, Director General, Ministry of Tourism, GoI, delivered a compelling message to the country’s travel trade. She emphasised to empower Indian tour operators, convert global partners into India ambassadors and think beyond destinations by thinking of markets. Sinha called on tourism associations to offer consistent, high-quality training to equip Indian tour operators with deeper knowledge of their own country. “It is not just about showcasing India. It is about understanding it well enough to package it meaningfully,” she said.

Suman Billa, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, GoI, said, “Tourism is all about access, and aviation provides that access on scale and speed. By aligning the National Air Connectivity Plan with the National Tourism Development Plan, the synergy could be transformative.” He emphasised that aviation and tourism must collaborate as twin engines to double the sector’s GDP contribution from 5 per cent to 10 per cent in the coming decade.