Tourism Policies and Schemes of the Government of India

India ranks among the fastest-growing tourism economies worldwide, driven by its diverse geographical landscapes, rich cultural heritage, and varied ecosystem of pilgrimage, eco, adventure, and medical tourism. Tourism acts as a key engine for employment generation, foreign exchange earnings, and regional economic growth. The Ministry of Tourism functions as the nodal central agency for formulating national policies, coordinating with state governments, and executing developmental programs to establish India as a competitive global and domestic destination.

National Policy Architecture and Strategy Frameworks

National Tourism Policy

• The policy framework balances economic expansion with sustainable tourism practices, target-driven infrastructure upgrades, and heritage preservation.
• It aims to position India as a year-round destination by diversifying into niche markets like wellness, MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions), cruise, and eco-tourism.
• The policy prioritizes public-private partnerships, streamlined regulatory approvals, and enhanced digital facilitation for international and domestic tourists.

National Strategy Documents

• National Strategy for Sustainable Tourism: Focuses on minimizing environmental degradation, reducing carbon footprints at tourist sites, and promoting eco-friendly hospitality practices.
• National Strategy for Eco-Tourism: Targets responsible travel to natural areas, biodiversity conservation, and economic empowerment of local forest-fringe communities.
• National Strategy for Rural Tourism: Promotes village homestays, rural handicrafts, cultural heritage showcases, and local employment to prevent distress migration to urban centers.
• National Strategy for Medical and Wellness Tourism: Enhances institutional frameworks to position India as a high-quality, cost-effective global hub for medical value travel and traditional AYUSH treatments.

Major Infrastructure Development Schemes

Swadesh Darshan Scheme and Swadesh Darshan 2.0

• Swadesh Darshan 1.0 (2014–15): Central Sector Scheme launched to develop 15 theme-based tourist circuits across India, including Buddhist, Coastal, Desert, Eco, Heritage, Himalayan, Krishna, North-East, Ramayana, Rural, Spiritual, Sufi, Tirthankar, Tribal, and Wildlife circuits.
• Swadesh Darshan 2.0 (SD 2.0): Revamped framework shifting focus from circuit-based infrastructure to holistic, destination-centric sustainable tourism development.
• Challenge Based Destination Development (CBDD): Sub-scheme under SD 2.0 designed to develop destinations across categories like culture and heritage, eco-tourism, vibrant border villages, and spiritual sites through competitive evaluation.

PRASHAD Scheme

• Full Name: Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual Heritage Augmentation Drive (PRASHAD), launched in 2014–15 as a Central Sector Scheme funded 100% by the Central Government.
• Primary Objective: Integrated infrastructure development of identified pilgrimage and heritage sites to enhance tourist experience, local connectivity, and basic amenities.
• Key Components: Development of entry gates, last-mile connectivity, illumination, waiting halls, pilgrim facilitation centers, renewable energy installations, and waste management systems.

Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment (SASCI)

• Introduced by the Ministry of Tourism to provide financial support to State Governments for the comprehensive development of iconic global tourist centers.
• Offers 100% central funding for approved projects to create end-to-end tourist experiences, while operational management rests with respective state authorities.

Promotional Campaigns and Digital Initiatives

Dekho Apna Desh Campaign

• Launch and Purpose: Introduced in 2020 to encourage citizens to travel domestically and explore hidden cultural, natural, and historical sites across India.
• Dekho Apna Desh People’s Choice Poll: Citizen engagement initiative launched to identify top tourist attractions and hidden gems across various categories to prioritize state development funding.

Incredible India 2.0 Campaign

• Shifts promotional efforts from generic destination marketing to market-specific, thematic, and digital-first campaigns in key international source markets.
• Focuses on niche products like yoga, wellness, luxury, wildlife, cuisine, and heritage to attract high-value international travelers.

Digital Platforms and Portals

• NIDHI (National Integrated Database of Hospitality Industry): Centralized digital registry for accommodation units to facilitate quality standardization, policy formulation, and safety compliance.
• SAATHI (System for Assessment, Awareness, and Training for Hospitality Industry): Initiative launched in partnership with QCI (Quality Council of India) to implement safety, hygiene, and operational standards across hospitality units.
• Utsav Portal: Digital showcase highlighting major festivals, cultural events, and live temple darshans across states to assist trip planning for international and domestic tourists.

Niche Tourism Initiatives

Cruise Tourism and Cruise Bharat Mission

• Cruise Bharat Mission: Program launched to tap into ocean and river cruise potential across India’s coastline and inland waterways.
• Inland Waterway Expansion: Promotes long-distance river cruise voyages on National Waterways, including routes along the Ganga and Brahmaputra rivers.

Wedding Tourism and “Wed in India”

• Promotes India as a premier global wedding destination under campaigns like “India Says I Do” and “Wed in India”.
• Aims to capture a larger share of the international destination wedding market by showcasing royal heritage palaces, coastal resorts, and cultural venues.

Adventure and Border Tourism

• Opening of Peaks: Over 120 new mountain peaks opened across the Himalayan region for trekking and mountaineering expeditions.
• Vibrant Villages Programme Synergy: Promotes border tourism in remote northern border villages, creating local entrepreneurship opportunities in homestays and eco-guides.

Scheme Architecture and Key Elements Matrix

Quick Tourism Facts

• The Ministry of Tourism acts as the central nodal agency for formulating national tourism policies and coordinating with central ministries and states.
• Swadesh Darshan 2.0 shifted the strategic approach from developing multi-state thematic circuits to holistic, single-destination master planning.
• PRASHAD scheme projects receive 100% central funding from the Union Government for approved public infrastructure components.
• The “Wed in India” initiative encourages domestic and foreign couples to choose heritage and resort locations within India for destination weddings.
• The Utsav Portal provides real-time information and live streaming links for major religious festivals and cultural events across Indian states.
• SAATHI was developed by the Ministry of Tourism in collaboration with the Quality Council of India to enforce hygiene and safety protocols in hotels.
• Swadesh Darshan 1.0 covered 15 distinct thematic circuits, including the Buddhist, Coastal, Desert, Eco, Tribal, and Himalayan circuits.
• The National Strategy for Rural Tourism promotes village homestays to diversify rural incomes and preserve regional folk arts and handicrafts.