India's tourism sector recorded $31.7 billion in international tourism receipts in 2025, the Centre said on Friday, 31 July, citing stronger destination infrastructure, improved connectivity, and expanding digital platforms as key drivers of the country's emergence as a global tourism hub.

Swadesh Darshan and PRASHAD: Schemes on the Ground

The government's flagship Swadesh Darshan programme has sanctioned 76 projects with a combined investment of over ₹5,295.24 crore across 14 thematic tourist circuits — covering Buddhist, Coastal, Desert, Eco, Himalayan, North East, Ramayana, Rural, Spiritual, and Tribal routes, among others. Of these, 75 projects have been completed, according to an official statement.

The successor initiative, Swadesh Darshan 2.0, takes a destination-centric approach with a focus on sustainable and experience-based tourism. Nearly 53 projects worth ₹2,207.08 crore have been sanctioned under this phase to improve planning, infrastructure, and visitor experience.

Separately, the PRASHAD scheme has sanctioned 54 projects worth over ₹1,726.24 crore to upgrade infrastructure at major pilgrimage and heritage sites, with the stated aim of enhancing pilgrim facilities while preserving cultural and spiritual significance.

Connectivity Upgrades Driving Accessibility

The government pointed to a broad connectivity push as a structural enabler: expansion of the national highway network, modernisation of railway stations, the rollout of Vande Bharat trains, enhanced regional air connectivity under the UDAN scheme, airport development, e-buses, and improved last-mile connectivity are collectively reducing travel time to tourist destinations.

The next phase of regional air connectivity, Viksit UDAN, carries an outlay of over ₹28,840 crore and is expected to deepen air travel access in Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities and remote regions. The programme includes development of over 100 new aerodromes and 200 helipads.

Key Numbers: Arrivals, Jobs, and GDP Contribution

Domestic tourist visits reached 2.9 billion in 2024, surpassing pre-pandemic levels, while international tourist arrivals touched 2.02 crore in 2025. The sector contributed ₹15.73 lakh crore to GDP in FY24, accounting for 5.22% of the economy. Tourism and hospitality supported nearly 84.6 million jobs in 2023-24.

What the Growth Signals

This comes amid a broader government push to position India as a high-value tourism destination — moving beyond volume metrics toward quality infrastructure and curated experiences. Notably, the combination of spiritual tourism (under PRASHAD), eco and tribal circuits (under Swadesh Darshan), and connectivity investments signals a multi-track strategy rather than a single-sector bet. With Viksit UDAN still in its rollout phase, the full impact on Tier-2 and Tier-3 city tourism remains to be seen in the coming years.