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India recorded 2.9 billion domestic tourist visits in 2024 and 2.02 crore International Tourist Arrivals in 2025, with tourism contributing ₹15.73 lakh crore (5.22% of GDP) in FY 2023-24.
Swadesh Darshan (76 projects, ₹5,295.24 crore, 75 completed) and Swadesh Darshan 2.0 (53 projects, ₹2,207.08 crore) are building destination-centric tourism infrastructure across 14 thematic circuits.
The e-Tourist Visa now covers nationals of 175 countries through 33 airports, 19 seaports and 4 land ports; the NIDHI+ platform digitises registration of tourism service providers.
India climbed to 39th of 119 countries (score 4.25/7) in the WEF Travel & Tourism Development Index 2024, up from 54th in the 2021 edition.
Develop integrated tourist circuits around themes such as Buddhist, Coastal, Desert, Himalayan and Spiritual heritage
Key: 76 projects sanctioned, 75 physically completed, ₹5,295.24 crore
Destination-centric, sustainability- and experience-focused tourism development
Key: 53 projects, ₹2,207.08 crore
Improve infrastructure at pilgrimage and heritage destinations
Key: 54 projects, ₹1,726.24 crore
Help States develop iconic tourist centres to global standards
Key: 40 projects across 23 States, ₹3,295.76 crore
Fund high-potential spiritual and eco-tourism destinations competitively
Key: 37 projects, ₹687.99 crore
Nodal ministry for national tourism policy, schemes and promotion
Unified digital platform for registration, recognition and classification of tourism service providers
| Aspect | Swadesh Darshan | Swadesh Darshan 2.0 |
|---|---|---|
| Approach | Circuit-based, spanning 14 thematic circuits | Destination-centric, sustainability and experience focused |
| Projects | 76 sanctioned, 75 completed | 53 sanctioned |
| Outlay | ₹5,295.24 crore | ₹2,207.08 crore |
Over 200 G20 meetings across 60+ cities were used to showcase India's tourism diversity beyond metros, reinforcing MICE tourism ambitions
The backgrounder ties tourism growth to SDG 8.9 (sustainable tourism jobs), SDG 12.B (monitoring sustainable tourism impact) and SDG 14.7 (marine-resource tourism benefits for island/LDC economies)
GS Paper 3 > Economy > Infrastructure and Services Sector
Which Five-Year Plan is also known as the "Gadgil Yojana"?
Answer: Third Five-Year Plan
Recurring — tourism data and scheme progress are updated periodically in Parliament and PIB backgrounders
Pilgrimage Rejuvenation And Spiritual Augmentation Drive — a Ministry of Tourism scheme improving infrastructure at pilgrimage and heritage sites
National Integrated Database of Hospitality Industry — a unified digital platform for registering and classifying tourism service providers