In a significant move to revitalise India’s inbound tourism sector, the Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO) has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging the formation of a dedicated India Tourism Board under his leadership. Alongside this, IATO has called for an immediate budgetary allocation of ₹1000 crore under the Incredible India campaign to attract foreign tourists in the upcoming season.
According to IATO, despite global recovery, India’s Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTAs) have still not reached pre-pandemic 2019 levels, which is a concern given the sector’s vast potential as a foreign exchange earner and its role in soft diplomacy.
“India’s raw natural beauty and cultural depth remain under-leveraged. We need targeted intervention now, before the next tourist season begins,” said Mr. Ravi Gosain, President, IATO.
Highlighting the macroeconomic benefits, Gosain emphasised that tourism is a non-tariff export that brings direct foreign exchange, creates employment across the value chain, and contributes to balancing the current account deficit, unaffected by geopolitical or trade disruptions.
He further noted that each foreign visitor becomes an informal ambassador of India’s heritage, culture, and values, generating high-value multiplier effects across the economy. The sector, he added, has the potential to contribute 1–2% to India’s GDP if properly nurtured.
To catalyse FTAs, IATO has proposed several policy measures:
- Simplified visa facilitation, including expansion of e-Visa scope,
- Fast-tracking group tourist visas,
- Visa fee waivers for select countries,
- Incentives for international airlines and air charters to improve connectivity to key tourism circuits, especially tier-2 and tier-3 destinations.
“Tourism needs to be seen not as leisure alone, but as a serious economic driver. We urge urgent and visionary steps now,” Gosain concluded.
With the peak tourism season only months away, IATO hopes the government will act swiftly to implement these recommendations and unlock the untapped potential of India’s inbound tourism.