India’s Tourism Industry Closes 2025 with Strong Recovery Momentum and Strategic Skill-Led Growth: THSC Chairperson Mrs. Jyoti Mayal Shares Year-End Outlook

An analytical year-end review highlighting India’s tourism revival, industry challenges, and the roadmap for 2026.

New Delhi, December 2025: India’s tourism and hospitality sector concluded 2025 on a resilient note, marking a year of steady revival, structural reforms, and new growth opportunities. According to Mrs. Jyoti Mayal, Chairperson of the Tourism & Hospitality Skill Council (THSC), the industry demonstrated “remarkable adaptability and renewed confidence despite periodic disruptions,” setting a solid foundation for 2026.

The year began on a high, driven by rising domestic tourism, improved air connectivity, and the continued popularity of spiritual circuits, adventure travel, and micro-vacations. Several states reported double-digit growth in domestic tourist footfall, supported by robust festive travel and improved digital booking infrastructure. India’s G20 legacy also continued to influence inbound awareness, particularly from Southeast Asia, Europe, and the Middle East.

However, 2025 also brought visible challenges. Global economic uncertainty affected long-haul inbound travel during certain periods, while volatility in aviation fuel prices led to higher airfares, impacting travel sentiment and cost structures. The industry also continued to face shortages of trained manpower across tourism, hospitality, and aviation-linked services, underscoring the need for deeper skilling interventions.

Despite these fluctuations, the industry regained momentum through the latter half of the year. Government initiatives such as improved e-visa facilitation, infrastructure upgrades under Swadesh Darshan 2.0, and targeted skilling programs under THSC played a critical role in stabilising the ecosystem.

Reflecting on the year, Mrs. Mayal said, “2025 was a defining year for Indian tourism one where resilience met transformation. Our focus on building a skilled workforce, strengthening domestic circuits, and enhancing service quality has brought the sector to a much stronger and future-ready position. At the same time, better-aligned tourism and aviation policies, along with stronger public private partnership models with the government, are essential to sustain growth. Expanding skilling outreach across regional and neighbouring countries and creating dedicated skilling clusters and hubs will further strengthen the tourism ecosystem by enhancing service quality, generating employment, and narrowing skill gaps across the value chain. The momentum we have gained this year will significantly shape India’s global tourism footprint in 2026”

Looking ahead, the council anticipates 2026 to be driven by three major forces: continued domestic travel dominance, accelerated investments in hospitality infrastructure in emerging tourist hubs, and an urgent need for specialised skilling in areas such as sustainable tourism, digital hospitality, culinary innovation, and experiential travel services. With rising aspirations among young travellers and the global spotlight shifting toward India as a value-driven, culturally rich destination, the sector is poised for further expansion.

Mrs. Mayal added, “To fully leverage the opportunities ahead, we must bridge skill gaps, adopt technology with agility, and strengthen collaboration between industry and training institutions. 2026 will be a year of consolidation and a year of possibilities.”