Imagine organising a holiday where travellers not only avoid damaging the natural ecosystem, but also contribute to supporting local communities, replenishing biodiversity, or revitalising local traditions. According to a Ministry of Tourism report, international tourist arrivals(ITAs) in India rose from 13.11 million in 2014 to 20.57 million in 2024, highlighting the rapid expansion of the country’s tourism sector.
By Santosh Sukumaran
Several factors, including enhanced connectivity across the country, social media influence, rising disposable incomes, and aggressive campaigns by ITDC and state tourism bodies, have transformed tourism into a promising core sector. Tourism has generated employment opportunities and supported local businesses across destinations.
However, alongside this growth, another reality is becoming increasingly difficult to ignore. Popular tourist destinations such as Goa and Manali are facing the brunt of overtourism, particularly during peak seasons. Increased pressure on local infrastructure, traffic congestion, overcrowding, and waste accumulation are contributing to growing resident dissatisfaction. In ecologically sensitive and protected regions, rising tourism demand is testing environmental limits.
Tourism itself is not the problem. According to the Ministry of Tourism report, tourism accounted for 84.63 million jobs in 2023–24, including 39.9 million direct jobs and 47.73 million indirect jobs. Statista reports that tourism contributes nearly 10 per cent to the Indian economy, supporting job creation, entrepreneurship, and local enterprises. However, in many destinations, tourism growth has outpaced the infrastructure required to sustain it.
Traditionally, the success of a destination has been measured through visitor numbers, revenue generation, and room nights. However, equal importance must now be given to ecological health and the well-being of local residents.
The shift towards regenerative tourism
Regenerative tourism addresses important questions:
- Can tourism enhance a destination’s environmental, economic, social, and cultural dimensions?
- Can tourism shift the mindset from volume-driven promotion towards destination stewardship?
Importantly, India is not starting from scratch. Initiatives such as Kerala’s Responsible Tourism Mission, Sikkim’s eco-conscious tourism model, and Meghalaya’s community-led tourism approach highlight an important shift — tourism is not merely an economic activity, but also a system that shapes destinations, communities, and ecosystems.
The backwaters of Kerala, the beaches of Goa, and the ghats of Varanasi demonstrate that India’s destinations are living ecosystems with unique ecological sensitivities. Simply attracting larger visitor volumes year after year will not ensure long-term sustainability. The future of Indian tourism will depend on building destinations that are inclusive, resilient, and capable of sustaining both communities and ecosystems through stronger destination governance.
Regenerative tourism development priorities
- Local communities must move from being passive beneficiaries to active participants. Top-down decision-making should be supported by local knowledge regarding ecological limits and ground realities.
- Stakeholders such as tourism departments, municipalities, transport authorities, environmental agencies, local enterprises, and NGOs, which often work in silos, must collaborate more effectively to address challenges such as carrying capacity, traffic congestion, and waste management.
- Tourism must balance growth with sustainability by adopting visitor management systems, digital permits, crowd management measures, and seasonal regulations.
- Tourism development should focus on conserving ecological health, strengthening community well-being, and preserving local identity while creating meaningful visitor experiences.
A critical juncture for Indian tourism
India holds significant tourism potential and currently stands at a critical juncture. However, an uncontrolled push to increase year-on-year visitor numbers may threaten the very qualities that make destinations attractive and could eventually lead to their degradation.
Timely management, restoration, and protection of destinations must therefore become key metrics in addressing growing tourism demand and ensuring the long-term sustainability of India’s tourism sector.
Disclaimer: This article is a guest column. The views and opinions expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of TRAVTALK.