The Centre has approved 117 tourism infrastructure projects worth ₹5,756.62 crore over the last two financial years, signalling a major push towards destination development, connectivity enhancement and niche tourism growth across India.
The investments span heritage, spiritual, eco-tourism, beach, tribal and MICE destinations, creating new opportunities for hotels, resorts, homestays and tourism-linked businesses in both established and emerging markets.
According to information shared by Union Tourism Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat in the Lok Sabha, the projects are being implemented through schemes including Swadesh Darshan 2.0, PRASHAD, Challenge-Based Destination Development, Assistance to Central Agencies, DA-JUGA, and the Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment (SASCI) programme.
The largest allocation of ₹3,295.76 crore has been sanctioned under SASCI, supporting convention centres, heritage destinations, eco-tourism parks, waterfront developments, museums, wellness retreats and border tourism infrastructure. Swadesh Darshan 2.0 accounts for projects worth ₹1,565.62 crore, while the Challenge-Based Destination Development Scheme has approved projects valued at nearly ₹688 crore.
For the hospitality industry, the investments are expected to accelerate demand generation in Tier-II and Tier-III destinations, particularly in spiritual, heritage and experiential tourism markets where hotel development activity has already been gaining momentum.
Alongside physical infrastructure, the government is strengthening the tourism ecosystem through the Incredible India Digital Platform, expanded e-Visa facilities for travellers from 174 countries, a 24×7 multilingual tourist helpline and improved air connectivity under the UDAN scheme. The Ministry of Tourism has also intensified efforts to promote high-growth segments such as wellness, medical tourism, adventure tourism, destination weddings and MICE travel.
The latest round of investments reinforces tourism’s growing role as an economic growth driver, with infrastructure development increasingly viewed as a catalyst for hotel investments, employment generation and regional development across emerging destinations in India.
