BJP MP Anurag Thakur, the Lok Sabha member from Hamirpur, Himachal Pradesh and former Union Minister, delivered the keynote address at the FAITH Tourism Conclave 2026 in New Delhi on Sunday, 19 July 2026, calling tourism a 'powerful engine for economic growth, job creation, entrepreneurship, and preserving India's rich cultural heritage.'

Context

Thakur addressed the conclave organised by FAITH — the Federation of Associations in Indian Tourism and Hospitality — a prominent industry body that convenes policymakers, hospitality leaders, and sector experts on a common platform. In his remarks, he commended the organisation for 'creating this premier platform' and praised its role in 'fostering collaboration and innovation.' He also shared specific insights on tourism in his home state of Himachal Pradesh, a Himalayan region known for its nature, adventure, and pilgrimage circuits.

The overarching vision he articulated was positioning India as 'the world's most attractive tourism destination' under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He framed this aspiration under the tagline 'Incredible India: Invaluable Economics' — linking the country's soft-power tourism brand directly to hard economic outcomes.

Policy Backdrop

The Incredible India campaign, first launched in 2002, has been the central pillar of India's international tourism branding for over two decades, highlighting the country's cultural and natural diversity to global audiences. Successive governments have built on the campaign, integrating it with infrastructure programmes and state-level destination development.

The current administration under PM Modi has continued this trajectory, emphasising tourism as a vehicle for both foreign exchange earnings and cultural projection. Hill states like Himachal Pradesh have figured prominently in this strategy, with the central government coordinating with state governments on developing tourism circuits that span heritage, adventure, and spiritual destinations.

Stakeholders and Impact

The conclave brought together a cross-section of India's tourism and hospitality ecosystem — from hotel chains and travel operators to heritage site managers and state tourism boards. Thakur's keynote signal that the political establishment remains engaged with the sector's growth agenda, particularly as the industry continues its post-pandemic recovery and seeks greater policy support on ease of travel, visa facilitation, and infrastructure.

For Himachal Pradesh specifically, a stronger national tourism push carries direct economic implications: the mountain state's economy is heavily dependent on visitor inflows, and any uplift in domestic and international tourist arrivals translates into livelihoods for local communities, hoteliers, and artisans. Thakur's dual role as a national legislator and a representative of a tourism-dependent state gives his advocacy at such forums added weight.

What's Next

The FAITH conclave is expected to produce sector recommendations on policy priorities including digital tourism infrastructure, sustainability standards, and state-central coordination on new tourism circuits. Thakur's participation signals continued political attention to the sector at the parliamentary level.

Observers will watch for follow-through in the form of specific announcements from the Ministry of Tourism — particularly around Himachal Pradesh circuits and any revised targets for international tourist arrivals that may emerge from the next ministry review. The vision of 'Incredible India: Invaluable Economics' suggests a deliberate push to quantify tourism's contribution to GDP and employment in policy planning going forward.