Answer

Introduction

India is a land of unparalleled geographic and cultural contrasts, yet it faces a significant “tourism deficit.” Despite recording 5.6 million foreign tourist arrivals (FTAs) by August 2025, India significantly trails smaller regional peers like Singapore (11.6 million) and Thailand. This gap highlights a critical inability to convert civilizational assets into a reliable, functional, and global-standard visitor experience.

Body

Structural Challenges Hindering the Tourism Sector

• Infrastructure Deficiencies: Inconsistent last-mile connectivity, poor road maintenance, and a severe lack of clean public toilets at remote heritage sites deter long-haul travelers.
  Eg: The 2025 CRISIL report identifies “insufficient infrastructure” and high domestic hotel costs as primary reasons for tourists diverting to Georgia and Azerbaijan.
• Cost Disadvantage: Mid-range travel in India is often more expensive than in Southeast Asia due to high GST on hotel tariffs and uncompetitive airfares.
• Human Capital Shortfall: There is an estimated 40% shortfall in trained hospitality staff, compounded by a lack of multilingual guides and professionalized tourism careers.
• Bureaucratic Friction: Despite the e-visa expansion, complex entry procedures and suspicious attitudes at immigration counters often create a poor “first impression” of the country.
• Maintenance Inconsistency: While marquee sites like the Taj Mahal receive attention, lesser-known monuments suffer from poor signage, waste management, and lighting.

Perceptual Challenges Hindering the Tourism Sector

• Safety and Security Concerns: Global headlines regarding safety for women and isolated incidents of harassment continue to overshadow “Incredible India” branding.
  Eg: Negative publicity following safety worries and minor security incidents in 2025 has led to a 12% decline in FTAs compared to 2019 levels.
• Sanitation and Pollution: Widespread perceptions of poor urban hygiene and winter smog in the “Golden Triangle” circuit (Delhi-Agra-Jaipur) discourage high-value winter tourists.
• The “Hustle” Fatigue: The presence of aggressive touts, scammers, and harassers at major sites erodes international trust and makes the Indian experience “overwhelming” rather than relaxing.
• Negative Media Narratives: Persistent negative global reporting on civic issues creates a perception of India being a “difficult” destination compared to the “easy” hospitality of Thailand.

Strategy to Transform India into a Top-Tier Destination

• “Incredible Indias” (Segmented Marketing): Move away from a one-size-fits-all campaign to target specific niches like MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions), Wellness, and Buddhist Circuits.
  Eg: The Ministry of Tourism is establishing autonomous City MICE Bureaus starting in 2026 to double India’s share in global events.
• “Functional India” Mission: Prioritize a nationwide “Clean Tourism” campaign focused on restrooms, waste management, and standardized digital signage at the top 50 sites.
• Strategic Safety Reforms: Expand the Tourist Police Force, specifically recruiting women officers, and implement a centralized, verified guide and transport app.
• Private Sector Engagement: Scale the “Adopt a Heritage” scheme to involve private players in maintaining site amenities and developing experiential tourism like river cruises.
• Incentive-Led Growth: Grant “Infrastructure Status” to hotels to reduce capital costs and offer lower GST brackets for mid-range accommodation to match regional competitors.

Conclusion

India does not need reinvention, but refinement. To transition from a “tantalising idea” to a global preference, India must prioritize functionality over imagery. By aligning safety, reliability, and infrastructure, India can leverage its Viksit Bharat @2047 vision to not just attract visitors, but to offer a seamless experience that justifies its “Incredible” promise.

DOWNLOAD PDF