India has set out how it plans to improve tourism across the country. The focus is moving from building themed travel routes to upgrading individual places with a stronger emphasis on sustainability.
A separate programme is improving important pilgrimage and heritage sites, and rail stations that act as main entry points for visitors.
Building better, more sustainable places
Over the past decade, the government funded dozens of projects to make travel easier along popular routes. Most of those jobs are now finished.
The next phase puts money into specific destinations so they work better for visitors and for local communities.
Typical work includes short road links to reach the site, clean and accessible toilets, small visitor centres that explain the place, paths and ramps, and simple services such as parking and lighting.
Support for pilgrimage and heritage locations
Another programme focuses on religious and historic sites that attract large numbers of people.
It pays for basics such as safe access, signage, waste and water facilities, and public spaces around temples, shrines and old towns.
Many projects are complete, others are under way, and more sites have been chosen for future upgrades.
A shortlist of places chosen through a challenge
To spread investment fairly, the government is using a “challenge” system where states submit plans and the strongest proposals are funded.
The current shortlist covers 42 places across four themes: culture and heritage, spiritual sites, nature and wetlands, and remote border villages.
Projects mix physical works with training and service improvements so the visitor experience is better from end to end.
Improving rail gateways and travel access
Tourism plans also include upgrades at major railway stations that serve popular destinations.
The tourism ministry and Indian Railways are sharing costs to add practical amenities, improve wayfinding and, in some cases, restore historic station features.
The aim is to reduce bottlenecks at the point where many visitors first arrive and to make onward travel smoother.
To see how India’s place-focused upgrades can turn into real visitor demand, register for GlobalData’s free virtual session Destination Advantage: Turning Development into Tourism Demand — a clear, practical discussion about syncing building plans, transport links and destination marketing so projects bring visitors while protecting communities and the environment.
Register now to get simple, data-backed steps and straight answers to your questions, helping you turn new openings into bookings and higher local income.
