Minister of State for Tourism Suresh Gopi has said, India has placed connectivity at the core of its tourism vision. Addressing an event organised on the celebrations of World Tourism Day in New Delhi today, Mr Gopi said, initiatives like Udan scheme improved the connectivity to tourist sites, making it more accessible. The Minister further added that initiatives like Swadesh Darshan 2.0 focuses on sustainable destination development and PRASHAD scheme ensures the development of Pilgrimage destinations.

Vice Chairperson of Niti Aayog, Suman Bery, in his address, pointed out the challenge of making tourism affordable and accessible to Indians while promoting foreign tourism. He said that tourism is a powerful instrument for economic transformation, environmental control, and social inclusion. Mr Berry further added that globally tourism has shown that sustainable tourism can preserve biodiversity while generating livelihoods.

The theme of this year’s World Tourism Day is Tourism and Sustainable Transformation. During the event, Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) were exchanged between a private OTT platform and online Travel agencies. Along with that, the India Tourism Data 2025 Compendium was also released, giving insights into tourism trends across the country. The Ministry also launched the Project Management Information System (PMIS), to manage tourism projects. This digital platform will provide real-time monitoring, ensuring transparency and efficiency. Along with this, the 66th India Tourism Data 2025 Compendium was released, showcasing key tourism trends across the country. The event gathered stakeholders from distinguished government and industry, reaffirming India’s commitment toward fostering cultural exchange, driving economic growth, and advancing sustainable practices in tourism.