India’s tourism sector remains constrained by regulatory complexity, says report

The full potential of India’s tourism sector remains constrained by regulatory complexity and frictions in international accessibility, according to a report by the Union Ministry of Tourism and the NITI Aayog released on Tuesday (June 30, 2026).

Addressing this restriction is essential to unlocking growth, enhancing competitiveness, and strengthening India’s position in global tourism flows, it said.

On the supply side, regulatory fragmentation, duplicative approvals, and high compliance burdens continue to slow investment, delay project execution, and limit the scale and quality of tourism infrastructure, the report released by Union Tourism Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said. On the demand side, despite progress through mechanisms such as e-visa, India’s visa regime has not yet evolved to match the accessibility, scale, and user experience offered by leading tourism economies, it noted.

The report goes on to say that there should be focus on two complementary, and mutually reinforcing, levers: regulatory simplification and visa facilitation. “Together, they represent a transition from a system characterised by procedural complexity and fragmented governance to one that is predictable, transparent, and visitor-centric,” it said.

Scaling visa facilitation in line with global benchmarks will be critical to enhancing India’s international accessibility and competitiveness, it said.

On the regulatory front, rationalising requirements, eliminating redundancies, and streamlining approval processes can significantly improve the ease of doing business in tourism. This, in turn, will enable faster capacity creation, reduce project timelines and costs, and support the development of a more competitive and diversified tourism supply base.

Digital promotion

The Tourism Ministry also signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Google India Pvt. Ltd. on Tuesday (June 30) to strengthen the digital promotion of India’s tourism destinations through the use of the latest technologies, artificial intelligence, data-driven insights, and capacity building.

The MoU establishes a framework for collaboration between the Union Ministry and Google India in key areas including knowledge sharing, capacity building, and the use of emerging technologies for enhancing visitor engagement.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Shekhawat said, “Digital technologies have the potential to create immersive experiences that can showcase the glory and grandeur of India’s cultural sites to audiences across the world. By harnessing cutting-edge digital technologies, we can transform the way travellers discover, experience and engage with India’s rich cultural and natural heritage.”