Tourism Ministers Meet in Udaipur Charts Roadmap for ‘One State: One Global Destination’

The choice of Udaipur, the “City of Lakes,” as the host venue symbolized the confluence of heritage tourism and modern sustainability practices.

The Ministry of Tourism convened a landmark two-day State Tourism Ministers' Meet from October 14–15, 2025, in Udaipur, Rajasthan, bringing together Tourism Ministers, senior officials from all States and Union Territories, and key industry stakeholders. The meeting marked a major step toward realizing the Prime Minister's vision of "One State: One Global Destination", a transformative initiative to develop at least one globally benchmarked tourist destination in every State and UT, thereby propelling India's tourism landscape to new heights.

Advancing India's Tourism Transformation Agenda

The conference aligns with the Government's broader Viksit Bharat 2047 roadmap and the Union Budget 2025–26 announcements, which laid the foundation for a twin strategy — Destination Development and Destination Management. The initiative aims to create world-class tourism destinations, ensure responsible visitor management, and position India as a holistic, high-value global tourism hub.

Speaking at the inaugural session, Union Minister of Tourism & Culture, Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, emphasized that India is poised to emerge as a top global tourism economy, powered by public–private partnerships, sustainable infrastructure, and cultural innovation.

He stated, "Tourism is not just about places—it's about people, prosperity, and progress. The 'One State: One Global Destination' model will empower every region to showcase its unique strengths while aligning with global quality benchmarks. Through collaborative planning and targeted investments, we aim to create destinations that drive economic growth, community participation, and cultural pride."

Collaborative Vision: Centre, States, and Industry

The meet was inaugurated with opening remarks by Secretary (Tourism), Ms. V. Vidyavathi, who underscored the Ministry's focus on convergence, coordination, and competitiveness in the tourism sector. She noted that the new tourism policy framework promotes performance-linked incentives (PLI) for States and private players, encouraging innovative models of destination planning and management.

Over two days, Ministers and tourism secretaries from across the country presented destination concepts aligned with the "50 Destination Development" initiative, each highlighting a flagship site for transformation into a world-class tourism hub. These proposals focused on infrastructure modernization, digital connectivity, sustainability, and immersive visitor experiences.

The deliberations were structured around two key themes:

1. Development of 50 Global Destinations: Focused on infrastructure, connectivity, and branding.

2. Performance Linked Incentive (PLI) Model: Designed to reward destinations that demonstrate measurable progress in visitor experience, environmental sustainability, and revenue generation.

Driving Private Sector–Led Growth

The meeting also explored the creation of Private Sector–led Tourism Hubs, encouraging industry players to collaborate in investment, destination management, and global marketing. The Ministry emphasized that a PLI-based Destination Maturity Model will guide State governments and tourism boards in improving quality standards, ensuring that destinations are benchmarked against global best practices.

The discussions also addressed the need for digital transformation in tourism services, promoting the use of AI-powered visitor analytics, integrated ticketing systems, and digital storytelling platforms to enhance tourist engagement and ease of travel.

Second Day: Integrated Tourism Promotion Scheme Consultation

The second day of the conference featured a focused consultation on the draft Integrated Tourism Promotion Scheme (ITPS) Guidelines, designed to strengthen India's tourism promotion efforts in both domestic and international markets. The ITPS aims to build synergies between central and state schemes, encourage multi-destination circuits, and improve visibility through strategic global marketing partnerships.

Officials from States and UTs also discussed branding and destination positioning strategies, highlighting how regional heritage, festivals, and local experiences can contribute to Brand India Tourism. The discussions placed a strong emphasis on sustainability and inclusivity, ensuring that tourism development benefits local communities while preserving natural and cultural assets.

Fostering a Globally Competitive Tourism Ecosystem

Through this meet, the Ministry of Tourism reaffirmed its commitment to policy convergence and cooperative federalism, ensuring that all regions work in tandem toward India's tourism transformation goals. The event also served as a platform for sharing success stories, identifying investment opportunities, and strengthening inter-state collaboration.

Shri Shekhawat highlighted that India's diversity is its greatest asset: "Every State has the potential to be a world-class destination. Our goal is to ensure that every visitor who comes to India experiences excellence — in infrastructure, hospitality, and cultural depth."

Rajasthan as the Symbol of Heritage and Innovation

The choice of Udaipur, the "City of Lakes," as the host venue symbolised the confluence of heritage tourism and modern sustainability practices. Known for its architectural grandeur and lake conservation initiatives, Rajasthan exemplifies how traditional tourism destinations can evolve into global models of responsible tourism.

During the event, participants visited select tourism infrastructure sites around Udaipur to observe best practices in destination upkeep, heritage management, and community engagement.

Towards a Viksit Bharat Through Tourism

The Ministry of Tourism envisions tourism as a key pillar of India's economic and cultural renaissance, contributing to employment generation, entrepreneurship, and inclusive development. The "One State: One Global Destination" initiative, coupled with the Integrated Tourism Promotion Scheme, aims to generate large-scale investments, boost international arrivals, and position India as a year-round, multi-segment travel destination.

By integrating destination development with performance-based management and private sector partnerships, India's tourism transformation agenda is set to redefine global tourism benchmarks, reflecting the ethos of a Viksit Bharat — a developed and vibrant India by 2047.