Govt & Policy
Nepal has revised its trekking permit policy for restricted areas, allowing individual foreign tourists to obtain permits for trekking that were previously only issued to groups of two or more.
Thailand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs plans to propose reducing the visa-free stay period for foreign tourists from 60 days to 30 days to curb abuse and address potential security risks. Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow said the visa-exemption policy introduced during the Srettha Thavisin administration was designed to support tourism, a key driver of Thailand’s economy, by allowing eligible foreign nationals to enter for tourism or short-term business without applying for a visa in advance.
Connections from Northeast India has risen with stronger air links, the Airport Authority of India said. Passenger traffic continues to rise steadily across the region, with a notable 5.3% growth. As per the AAI’s report, the number of passengers was recorded at 95,90,321 from April to January 2024-2025, which rose to 1,00,95,041 during the same period this year.
Gujarat has approved ₹1,185 crore infrastructure upgrades to strengthen connectivity and boost tourism in South Gujarat.
Indian Space Research Organisation has launched new applications on its Bhuvan platform to promote tourism and monitor heritage sites.
The Union Ministry of Tourism has asked states to maintain strict oversight of adventure tourism activities and ensure compliance with safety norms.
The India Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC), under the Ministry of Tourism in collaboration with the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, held the inaugural ceremony of the Capacity Building Program for Tribal Homestay Owners in Delhi. The initiative marks an important step toward promoting community-based tourism while strengthening the professional hospitality skills of tribal homestay operators across the country. The programme aims to enhance service standards, improve visitor experiences, and support sustainable livelihood opportunities for tribal communities through structured training and capacity building by IHM Ashok, ITDC for Ministry of Tribal Affairs. The program was attended by first batch of 40 participants from Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim and Gujarat.
Government data reveals a sharp dip in tourist arrivals in Ladakh in 2025 due to geopolitical tensions, heavy rainfall, and multiple other disruptions.
With a view to bring in more transparency, accountability, and improved service delivery, the Ministry of Tourism has introduced an online system of receiving, processing, and granting approvals for classification of accommodation units and recognition of tourism service providers. Applications can be filed at the portal of National Integrated Database of Hospitality Industry (NIDHI+), i.e. nidhi.tourism.gov.in. This online process has also been integrated with a payment gateway.
The government has operationalised 452 Post Office Passport Seva Kendras across 23 circles, significantly expanding access to passport services nationwide.
Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Union Minister of Culture and Tourism, while addressing a conference in Berlin, stated that Germany remains one of India’s most important tourism partners. It ranks as the eighth largest tourist generating source market for India with 260,000 foreign tourist arrivals in 2025.
The Haryana Legislative Assembly has passed a bill — the Haryana Travel Agents Registration and Regulation (Amendment) Bill, 2026 — that makes registration for a travel agent mandatory. After CM Nayab Singh Saini tabled the amendment Bill in the House, Congress MLA from Beri, Raghuvir Singh Kadian said this Bill should be referred to the select committee of the assembly. This is being done to prevent fraud and illegal immigration and to discourage fraudulent outbound agents to develop a network outside India.
