One ‘Incredible India’ campaign isn't enough: Shashi Tharoor on rebranding tourism

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor underscored tourism’s economic importance, describing it as a sector that creates jobs and strengthens government finances.

Speaking at the Skål India National Congress 2025 in Mumbai on September 13, Tharoor said, “We have a lot of things to do. Tourism is very important. This gives employment to the people. It will increase revenue for the government. We need to improve our infrastructure,” ANI reported.

He pointed to the perception that India is unsafe for women and called for urgent corrective measures. “Our nation has an image that India is not safe for women. We need to change this image. We have to do something about it. More women police officers must be deployed in tourist areas,” he said.

The Congress leader also highlighted shortcomings in the hospitality sector. “We either have high-end five-star hotels or extremely poor quality; there is nothing in between. We need to construct a lot,” he stressed.

Industry projections appear to support his call for reform. IDBI Capital has estimated that India’s tourism and hospitality sector could touch $60 billion by 2028, with domestic visitors expected to more than double—from 2.5 billion in 2024 to 5.2 billion by 2030. Traveller spending is also projected to nearly triple to ₹33.95 trillion by 2034, driven by improved connectivity and rising demand, according to both IDBI Capital and the World Travel & Tourism Council.

Tharoor also urged a rethink of India’s global branding strategy. “One ‘Incredible India’ campaign is not enough. We need to showcase the many different aspects of India that exist within our borders,” he argued, suggesting a segmented approach focusing on wildlife, beaches, heritage, and cultural tourism.

On global visitor trends, he drew attention to the absence of Chinese tourists, remarking, “The Chinese are travelling across the world except India. Let’s bring some Chinese money into our country.” Adding humour to his address, he quipped, “Perhaps we could even attract some British tourists for a colonial heritage tour—though there aren’t many monuments left; they took more than they left.”

By blending strategic suggestions with wit, Tharoor offered industry stakeholders a roadmap to enhance safety, infrastructure, and branding in order to make India a more competitive global tourism destination.