Union Minister for Tourism and Culture Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, addressing FICCI’s 98th AGM, outlined the government’s vision to transform tourism into a $1 trillion sector generating millions of jobs by 2047.
The government is actively considering granting harmonised infrastructure status to the hotel industry, a long-standing demand that could unlock significant capital inflows and strengthen India’s competitiveness in the global tourism market, Union Minister for Tourism and Culture Gajendra Singh Shekhawat has said.
“This is a long-standing demand that will unlock capital, expand rooms inventory and strengthen our global price competitiveness,” Shekhawat said while addressing the 98th AGM and annual convention of the industry chamber Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) in New Delhi on Friday.
The minister’s remarks came as part of a comprehensive address outlining the government’s vision to transform tourism into a $1 trillion sector generating millions of jobs by 2047, when India marks its centenary of Independence. Shekhawat emphasised that achieving this ambition requires substantial private investment and reimagined hospitality models to compete with regional peers.
India has undertaken what Shekhawat described as “one of the largest tourism infrastructure programmes in the world”, with over ₹120 billion invested in destination development. The government is developing 50 global-standard destinations under a challenge-mode framework, encouraging states to compete on infrastructure quality, user experience, and sustainability parameters.
Connectivity Infrastructure Growth
Shekhawat also highlighted the transformation of India’s connectivity infrastructure over the past decade. Operational airports have expanded from fewer than 75 to 127, alongside 10 international-standard cruise terminals, 150,000 km of new highways, 38 inland waterways for river cruises, and over 10,000 km of metro lines across 23 Tier-1 and -2 cities. The rejuvenation of temple corridors, including Kashi, Mahakal, Kedarnath, Puri and Ayodhya, represents “one of the most transformative tourism initiatives in modern India,” he added.
The minister emphasised India’s emergence as a leader in wellness tourism, medical value travel and integrated healing pathways, while also highlighting the country’s growing concert tourism sector and its position as host of the 2030 Commonwealth Games in Gujarat.
The consideration of infrastructure status is part of a broader governmental push to position tourism as a structural engine of economic growth. The sector currently contributes 5.2 per cent directly to India’s GDP and supports 84 million livelihoods, according to FICCI, which estimates the industry could become a $250 billion opportunity by 2030 with appropriate policy support.