Union Tourism and Culture Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat on Monday reaffirmed the government’s commitment to reforms aimed at making India a globally competitive tourism destination, while chairing a high-level consultation with industry stakeholders on ease of doing business in the tourism and hospitality sector.
The interactive session, organised by the Ministry of Tourism in New Delhi, brought together representatives from leading industry bodies, including FAITH, ASSOCHAM, PHDCCI, WTTCII, TGFI, ABTO, CII, IAAPI and FICCI, to discuss reforms required to unlock the sector’s growth potential and create a more investment-friendly business environment.
Addressing the gathering, Shekhawat stressed the importance of continuous engagement with industry stakeholders to identify regulatory bottlenecks and facilitate sustainable growth through greater ease of doing business. He said the government remains committed to promoting investment, innovation and competitiveness across the tourism ecosystem.
During the meeting, the Ministry of Tourism presented its reform agenda and highlighted initiatives already undertaken, including delinking licenses from the ministry’s classification of hospitality units. Industry representatives shared recommendations on simplifying regulations, reducing compliance burdens and improving the overall business environment for tourism and hospitality enterprises.
Tourism Secretary Bhuvnesh Kumar proposed simplifying the hotel classification system by moving from inspection-based assessments to a self-declaration model, reducing checklist requirements and minimising mandatory certifications in a time-bound manner. The proposals received positive feedback from industry participants.
The discussions also focused on streamlining visa processes, rationalising taxation frameworks, simplifying clearances for tourism projects and defining timelines for approvals and licenses. Stakeholders emphasised the need for enhanced destination marketing, tourism infrastructure development and stronger coordination among ministries and state governments to improve India’s competitiveness in the global tourism market.
Participants highlighted the importance of digital governance and discussed innovative solutions such as an Entity Locker for the tourism and hospitality sector to facilitate document sharing, verification and regulatory compliance. The role of data-driven decision-making was also underscored, with industry representatives recommending the creation of a comprehensive database of hotels, homestays, tour operators, guides and other stakeholders to support policy formulation and investment planning.
The consultation further explored ways to improve visitor experience through better visa facilitation, digital services, connectivity and adoption of global best practices. Special attention was given to emerging segments such as experiential tourism, live events, amusement parks and homestays, which stakeholders said have significant potential to generate employment, stimulate local economies and diversify India’s tourism offerings.
Industry representatives also discussed the development of tourism hubs, easier access to land for tourism projects and measures to strengthen the overall investment ecosystem. They reiterated their commitment to working closely with the government to build a vibrant, resilient and globally competitive tourism sector.
The Ministry of Tourism said it would examine the suggestions received during the consultation and continue working with industry bodies, state governments and other stakeholders to advance reforms that improve ease of doing business and support the long-term growth of the tourism and hospitality sector.
