CM Bhajan Lal Sharma Greets Rajasthan on World Tourism Day
Synopsis
Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma greeted all state residents on World Tourism Day 2026, urging a collective pledge to preserve heritage, keep sites eco-friendly, and honour the Atithi Devo Bhava spirit of treating every guest as God.
Key Takeaways
World Tourism Day falls on 27 September every year, promoted by the UN World Tourism Organization.
CM Bhajan Lal Sharma urged Rajasthan residents to pledge heritage preservation, site cleanliness, and eco-friendly tourism practices.
The Atithi Devo Bhava campaign — 'the guest is God' — has been a cornerstone of India's Ministry of Tourism outreach since the late 2000s.
Rajasthan's forts, palaces, and desert landscapes are among India's most visited heritage tourism assets.
Sustainable upkeep of high-footfall sites remains a practical challenge the state's annual messaging repeatedly highlights.
On World Tourism Day, 27 September 2026, Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma called on every resident of the state to unite around three commitments: preserving the sacred heritage of Rajasthan and India, keeping tourist sites clean and eco-friendly, and strengthening the spirit of Atithi Devo Bhava — the ancient conviction that the guest is God.
Posting in Hindi on X, CM Sharma wrote: 'Samast pradeshvasiyon ko Vishwa Paryatan Divas ki hardik shubhkamnayein!' ('Heartfelt greetings to all residents of the state on World Tourism Day!'). His message framed tourism not as an economic transaction but as a collective moral responsibility — one that residents, heritage managers, and travellers share equally.
Why 'Atithi Devo Bhava' still anchors India's tourism push
The phrase is more than a slogan. India's Ministry of Tourism has run the Atithi Devo Bhava campaign since the late 2000s, training hospitality workers and raising public awareness around the idea that a visitor's experience begins long before they enter a hotel — it starts on the street, at the monument gate, in a chai stall. For a state like Rajasthan, whose forts, palaces, and desert landscapes draw visitors from across the globe, the principle carries particular weight.
Rajasthan's heritage — and the upkeep challenge
Rajasthan has long positioned its layered built heritage — from the forts of Jaisalmer and Jodhpur to the palaces of Udaipur and the dunes of the Thar — as the crown jewels of India's tourism map. That positioning comes with a maintenance burden: footfall pressure, waste management at high-traffic sites, and balancing eco-sensitive zones against visitor demand. CM Sharma's call to make tourist sites 'clean and environment-friendly' lands squarely inside that ongoing challenge.
Indian states routinely mark 27 September with messaging that links heritage pride to sustainable practice. What the annual observance increasingly signals, however, is whether words translate into follow-through — cleanliness drives, infrastructure upgrades, or community-led conservation. That is the real watch point in the weeks ahead.
A state that has made hospitality its oldest export now has a Chief Minister asking its people to be deliberate about it. The monuments will stand. The question is whether the welcome around them rises to match.
Point of View
High-visibility platform on a globally marked day. The sharper political signal is the emphasis on eco-friendly tourism: in a state where environmental pressures on fragile desert and fort ecosystems are real, that language hints at a governance priority without committing to a specific scheme. Whether the rhetoric converts into funded conservation action is the test observers will apply in the weeks after 27 September.
NationPress
27 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is World Tourism Day and when is it celebrated?
World Tourism Day is an annual global observance on 27 September , established by the UN World Tourism Organization to highlight tourism's cultural, social, and economic importance.
What did Rajasthan CM Bhajan Lal Sharma say on World Tourism Day 2026?
CM Sharma called on all Rajasthan residents to pledge heritage preservation, keep tourist sites clean and eco-friendly, and strengthen the spirit of Atithi Devo Bhava — treating every guest as God.
What is the Atithi Devo Bhava campaign?
Atithi Devo Bhava ('the guest is God') is a national tourism campaign run by India's Ministry of Tourism since the late 2000s to improve hospitality standards and sensitise communities around welcoming visitors.
Why is Rajasthan important for India's tourism sector?
Rajasthan is home to iconic heritage assets — including the forts of Jaisalmer and Jodhpur , the palaces of Udaipur , and the Thar Desert — making it one of India's most visited and culturally significant tourism destinations.
What is the significance of eco-friendly tourism in Rajasthan?
Rajasthan's high-footfall heritage and desert sites face real pressures from waste and environmental degradation, making eco-friendly practices a genuine governance challenge alongside the traditional hospitality message.
