SRINAGAR: The government has said that a combination of digital governance, strengthened safety mechanisms and tax rationalisation is reshaping India’s tourism sector and improving its global competitiveness.
In a written reply to an unstarred question in the Rajya Sabha on December 18, 2025, Minister for Tourism Gajendra Singh Shekhawat outlined measures taken to enhance transparency, service delivery and visitor safety across the country, while also detailing the impact of reforms such as e-Visa expansion and Goods and Services Tax rationalisation.
The government said that digital initiatives have been central to recent reforms. The Ministry of Tourism has introduced a fully online system for the classification of accommodation units and recognition of tourism service providers through the National Integrated Database of Hospitality Industry, known as NIDHI Plus. Applications are now received, processed and approved through a single digital portal integrated with an online payment gateway, a step the ministry said has improved accountability and ease of doing business in the tourism sector.
To support tourists on the ground, the government said it has operationalised a twenty-four-hour multilingual tourist helpline accessible through the toll-free number 1800111363 and the short code 1363. The helpline is available in twelve languages, including ten international languages, and provides travel-related information as well as guidance to tourists in distress while travelling within India.
On safety, the government reiterated that law and order is a state subject, but said the Centre has been consistently engaging with states and Union Territories to strengthen tourist safety arrangements. As a result of these efforts, several states and Union Territories have deployed dedicated tourist police units. The government also said that states and Union Territories can avail support under the Nirbhaya Fund for projects aimed at improving safety and security for women tourists.
The ministry informed Parliament that it has also issued guidance to states and Union Territories on granting industry status to tourism and hospitality. A handbook on industry status was launched in September 2024 and circulated to regional administrations for adoption within their tourism and industrial policies, a move expected to improve access to credit and incentives for tourism enterprises.
Detailing the impact of broader reforms, the government said the expansion of the e-Visa scheme has significantly improved India’s accessibility for foreign travellers. The e-Visa facility is now available to nationals of 172 countries, with entry permitted through designated airports, seaports and a land port. According to data from the Bureau of Immigration cited in the reply, international tourist arrivals increased steadily after the pandemic, rising to 20.57 million in 2024, compared to 17.91 million in 2019.
The government also highlighted recent GST reforms aimed at reducing travel and operating costs in the tourism and hospitality sector. With effect from September 22, 2025, GST on hotel rooms priced below Rs 7,500 per day has been reduced from twelve per cent to five per cent, while GST on buses with a seating capacity of over ten persons has been cut from twenty-eight per cent to eighteen per cent. Taxes on art, cultural goods and several food and hospitality-related items have also been reduced, steps the government said would lower costs for businesses and make travel more affordable for tourists.
The Centre said these combined reforms are intended to strengthen India’s tourism ecosystem, improve visitor confidence and support sustained growth in both domestic and international travel.
