3rd June, 2025 

To,  All Members, 

Dear Friends, 

Sub: IATO writes to PM - Urges Government to form Indian Tourism Board and provide an immediate budgetary allocation of ?1000 crore to attract foreign tourists 

I am writing to apprise you of the letter our President, Mr. Ravi Gosain, has written to the Hon’ble Prime Minister, seeking his attention towards the immense untapped potential of inbound tourism as a strategic driver for India’s economic growth, global image enhancement, and soft diplomatic outreach in the present scenario. 

Mr. Ravi Gosain highlighted that while global trade is currently facing disruptions due to tariff wars and geopolitical shifts, tourism exports remain unaffected by such constraints. Unlike goods, India’s tourism export (i.e., foreign tourists spending in India), which is non-tariff-based, brings direct foreign exchange earnings into the country. This positions inbound tourism as a stable, sustainable, and immediate contributor to India’s current account through valuable foreign exchange, employment generation, and balancing the forex trade deficit. 

Considering the immense and vital role that the tourism industry plays in economic growth and employment generation, IATO has requested the Government to support the tourism sector by: 

  • Enhancing marketing and branding of India in key source and emerging markets through sustained international campaigns under “Incredible India,” in collaboration with stakeholders like IATO, with a budgetary allocation of ?1000 crore;
  • Simplifying visa facilitation and expanding the scope of e-Visas, including four-hour e-Visa approvals, fast-tracking group tourist visas, and exploring visa fee waivers for select countries;
  • Incentivising international airlines and air charters to improve air connectivity to key tourism circuits, especially in tier-2 and tier-3 destinations;
  • Forming a high-level “Tourism Export Promotion Council” or “India Tourism Board” under the Hon’ble Prime Minister’s leadership, involving public-private partnerships for strategy and execution. 

It was also emphasized that tourism is not just an economic activity, but a civilizational connector. A stronger focus on inbound tourism aligns seamlessly with the Hon’ble Prime Minister’s vision of Viksit Bharat, Ek Bharat, Shrestha Bharat. 

This appeal has been widely covered by national and travel trade media. Some of the important links where our demands have been featured are listed below:

We hope this will draw the attention of the Hon’ble Prime Minister and other key officials, and that the industry will receive the support it urgently needs. 

With regards, 

Sunil Mishra
Honorary Secretary