TravTalk India Online Magazine
India’s travel and tourism GDP is expected to grow at an average of 7.1% annually over the next 10 years, according to WTTC. With the country’s tourism sector expected to grow at 20% CAGR, the Union Ministry of Tourism aims to take the global market share to over 10% in the next five years.
Janice Alyosius
India has experienced rapid development post-COVID, emerging as one of the world’s fastest-growing countries. Elaborating on the achievement, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Minister of Culture and Tourism, Government of India, said, “India’s development, its speed and scale, and its historical and cultural diversity—encompassing cuisine, culture, gastronomy, and tourism—are drawing global attention. The attraction to India has significantly increased, opening a new window of opportunity and creating a pathway that will broaden global perspectives.”
Shekhawat highlighted the evolving landscape of domestic tourism, saying that travel patterns are shifting. In domestic tourism, both short and long-distance travel experiences are evolving. This will change the direction of tourism. For example, the logistics of planning trips to various destinations like Mumbai or Udaipur are becoming increasingly complex, which requires new approaches to tourism planning and product development. “This is how the tourism landscape is changing. We need to adapt to these changes; otherwise, we risk falling behind in the market. We must address the evolving needs of tourists by developing new products and destinations that align with current trends and perspectives,” he said.
He added, “Given the growing opportunities in India, the country is set to become the largest tourism market in the world,” Shekhawat said. He pointed out that with India’s burgeoning middle class, the tourism sector is expected to grow at a CAGR of 20 per cent. This growth could potentially lead to a five-fold increase in the number of tourists over the next 5-6 years.”
