The Federation of Associations in Indian Tourism & Hospitality (FAITH), the apex policy body representing India’s tourism, travel, and hospitality sectors, opened its two-day National Tourism Conclave today at The Taj Palace, New Delhi.
Themed “Indian Tourism: Invincible Spirit,” the conclave seeks to unite leaders from the country’s ten major national tourism and hospitality associations, along with senior government officials, industry pioneers, and policy influencers, to chart a cohesive roadmap towards Tourism Vision 2047, an ambitious plan to grow tourism into a $3 trillion economic powerhouse by India’s 100th year of independence.
The vision aims to achieve 100 million inbound tourists annually, 20 billion domestic visits, and 200 million tourism-related jobs, while positioning India as one of the world’s most competitive and desirable travel destinations.
Strategic Vision and Goals
Speaking at the inauguration, Ajeet Bajaj, Vice Chairman of FAITH, underlined the need for tourism to be recognised as a core pillar of India’s economic development.
“Our objective is to make tourism a national priority, doubling its contribution from 5 per cent to 10 per cent of India’s GDP by 2047. Achieving this requires a whole-of-nation approach, with strong collaboration between the central and state governments, private stakeholders, and local communities,” he said.
Tourism as a Soft Power Engine
Highlighting tourism’s transformative potential, Puneet Chatwal, Chairperson of FAITH, stated, “Tourism is the world’s highest job multiplier; one in four new jobs globally comes from tourism, aviation, and hospitality. With India’s demographic advantage, this sector is a natural engine for employment and GDP growth.”
He also stressed the role of tourism in enhancing India’s global soft power by leveraging diverse segments, including medical tourism, spiritual travel, business events, and leisure experiences.
High-Impact Dialogues
One of the day’s highlights was a Fireside Chat titled “Indian Tourism: The World View” moderated by Shereen Bhan, Managing Editor of CNBC-TV18, featuring former G20 Sherpa and ex-NITI Aayog CEO, Amitabh Kant. The conversation explored tourism’s role in navigating global economic challenges and capitalising on emerging opportunities.
Referring to the current geopolitical and trade environment, Kant remarked, “The world is in a state of flux. India is being tested. But every crisis is also an opportunity. And we should not let this opportunity slip. We should really use this opportunity to galvanize ourselves to bring in radical reforms.”
He argued that tourism could be a key counterbalance to potential trade disruptions, especially in the face of proposed “Trumpian tariffs” from the United States. “There is no other sector to beat the Trumpian tariff than travel and tourism. This is the sector that can drive India’s growth story in the coming years. Not merely ga rowth story, but this is a sector that can create jobs for India. So growth with jobs will come from travel and tourism,” Kant said.
Kant made a strong pitch for a minimum ₹20,000 crore investment in a global brand campaign for Incredible India. He said, “Nothing less than 20,000 crores. This is what will more than compensate for Trumpian tariffs across any other sector. Penetrate every single global market with a brand campaign that will get you tourists from across the world. Nothing less than 20,000 crores. You know, for a large country like India, it will transform India, it will transform. You know, you need to do several things. The budget had announced 1 lakh crore for urban revival for cities to compete for that. We should push for that because you need to clean up your cities. But a minimum of ₹20,000 crores for the tourism industry so that you can do the best brand campaign on Incredible India across the world. Penetrate every single global market. Get the rich and famous to visit India. Make up. Attack Trump with travel and tourism.”
Global Competitiveness and High-Value Tourism
Addressing comparisons with Southeast Asian competitors like Thailand and Vietnam, Kant emphasised that India should focus on attracting high-spending, long-stay travellers rather than chasing volume. He added, “India is a long-haul destination. The people who come to India spend the longest number of days here. Don’t go in for garbage tourism. Go for high-value tourism, for people who want to experience India’s culture, heritage, and architecture. These are the days of experiential tourism.”
Kant also urged states to develop distinctive tourism brands under the national Incredible India identity and called for municipalities to improve hygiene, waste management, and urban infrastructure to match global visitor expectations.
Public–Private Dynamics
Kant was clear about the role of the private sector. He elaborated, “Government in India is in too many areas. State governments run hotels and motels, even in progressive states like Kerala. The best hotels and locations should all be driven by the private sector. I’m a believer not in public–private partnerships, but in private–private partnerships. Get the government out, allow private sector enterprise to flourish.”
He also pointed to MICE tourism (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) as a high-revenue opportunity for India, highlighting world-class facilities like Bharat Mandapam and Yashobhoomi as ready to host major global events.
The conclave will continue tomorrow with dedicated sessions on sector-specific challenges, state-level presentations, and high-level industry–government roundtables. Recommendations emerging from the event will be submitted to the central government for integration into long-term tourism policy, aiming to position India as a world leader in sustainable, high-value tourism by 2047.
, the apex policy body representing India’s tourism, travel, and hospitality sectors, opened its two-day National Tourism Conclave today at The Taj Palace, New Delhi.){kind=link}