Thiruvananthapuram, June 5: India must move beyond a promotion-driven tourism strategy and focus on building globally competitive destinations that offer high-quality visitor experiences, Union Tourism Additional Secretary and Director General Suman Billa said on Thursday.
Pic Credit: Pexel
Addressing the Global Travel Mart (GTM) 2026 in Thiruvananthapuram, Billa said India’s strong economic growth, rising incomes, expanding infrastructure, and digital connectivity have created a strong foundation for tourism expansion. However, he noted that the sector is still operating below its full potential.
He said growing aspirations among India’s expanding middle class, combined with easier travel access and the influence of social media, have significantly increased demand for travel and new experiences. At the same time, he added, the country must now focus on converting this demand into sustained destination-led growth.
Highlighting structural changes in the sector, Billa pointed out that India’s airport network has more than doubled in the past decade to over 150 airports, while highways and expressways have significantly improved domestic connectivity. Despite this, he said, tourism growth has not kept pace with the country’s broader economic expansion.
He noted that while international tourist arrivals have nearly doubled to around 20 million in the last decade, outbound travel by Indians has grown much faster, making India a net spender in global tourism flows.
At the same time, he described domestic tourism as a major success story, with Indians undertaking nearly four billion domestic trips annually, making it one of the fastest-growing tourism markets in the world.
Billa emphasized that tourism remains one of the most powerful employment-generating sectors, supporting not only hotels and transport services but also farmers, artisans, local entrepreneurs, and small businesses across the value chain.
Calling for a strategic shift, he said the future of tourism lies in creating meaningful, high-quality experiences rather than simply increasing room capacity or visitor numbers. He stressed that travellers today seek authenticity, culture, and emotional connection with destinations.
“Visitors should leave with a lasting impression of India’s culture, values, and hospitality,” he said, adding that destinations must focus on end-to-end experience design.
He also observed that Indian states, including Kerala, now compete with global destinations such as Thailand, Indonesia, and Malaysia, making quality and competitiveness more important than ever.
Billa suggested that Kerala focus on strengthening infrastructure such as airport connectivity, public transport, sanitation, water supply, traffic management, and overall destination cleanliness to improve visitor experience. He also proposed developing at least ten world-class tourism destinations in the state over the next five years, along with new signature tourism products.
The remarks were made during the second edition of GTM 2026, a major travel trade event bringing together more than 1,000 domestic and international buyers, including tour operators, hotel groups, airlines, and travel technology companies.
The three-day event, organised by industry bodies in association with Kerala Tourism and India Tourism, features over 200 exhibitors showcasing hospitality services, wellness tourism, wedding tourism, cruise offerings, homestays, and experiential travel products. Dedicated zones highlight Ayurveda, yoga, culture, and heritage experiences, along with business networking and B2B meetings aimed at strengthening India’s tourism ecosystem.
The event is expected to generate new partnerships and enhance India’s positioning as a competitive global tourism destination.
