India’s Tourism Policy Reset

In a move that could reshape India’s inbound and domestic tourism landscape, Union Tourism and Culture Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat today chaired a high-level consultation with industry stakeholders on ‘Ease of Doing Business’ (EoDB) in the tourism sector . The interactive session, organised by the Ministry of Tourism, saw participation from major industry bodies including FAITH, ASSOCHAM, PHDCCI, WTTCII, CII, and FICCI.

Shekhawat stressed the government’s commitment to making India a globally competitive tourism destination. Key reform proposals included:

• Simplifying the hotel classification system by transitioning from inspection-based assessments to a self-declaration model
• Streamlining visa processes and rationalising taxation frameworks
• Exploring a digital Entity Locker for document sharing and compliance in the hospitality sector
• Creating a comprehensive database of hotels, homestays, and tour operators to support data-driven policy formulation

Tourism Secretary Bhuvnesh Kumar led the proposal for reducing checklist items and minimising mandatory certifications. The meeting also emphasised the potential of emerging segments like experiential tourism , live events , and homestays to generate employment and diversify offerings .

Hospitality Stocks Rally on Strong Domestic Outlook

Indian hospitality stocks reflected rising investor confidence today. Lemon Tree Hotels, Samhi Hotels, ITC Hotels, and Chalet Hotels gained 3–5% on the BSE in intra-day trade, outperforming the broader market over the past week .

The sector’s outlook, as highlighted by Indian Hotels Company (IHCL) , remains anchored in domestic leisure travel and MICE demand. IHCL CEO Puneet Chhatwal noted a two-thirds jump in domestic RevPAR , a strong indicator of fast-growing tourism spending among India’s middle classes . While the West Asia conflict continues to impact IHCL’s operations in the region Chhatwal expects it will take a full year for Taj Dubai, Taj Exotica, and Taj Jumeirah Lakes Towers to return to pre-conflict performance levels India remains its primary growth engine .

IHCL reaffirmed its 12-14% topline growth guidance for the year. The group’s ‘Accelerate 2030’ plan targets 700+ operating hotels in the medium term, with a pipeline of 31,300 keys set to open over the next 4–5 years . The asset-light approach is gaining traction, with management fees rising 20% year-on-year.

In another hospitality development, IHG Hotels & Resorts announced a management agreement today to develop a 115-key Holiday Inn property in Mathura . Scheduled to open in early 2030, the property aligns with IHG’s strategy of expanding in high-potential destinations. IHG currently has 52 hotels operating across six brands in India.