Introduction

India is one of the world’s most extraordinary destinations. Few countries can match its diversity of landscapes, cultures, religions, cuisines, festivals, and histories. From the Himalayas to the Indian Ocean, from ancient temples to living traditions, India offers experiences that are both profound and unique. Yet, despite this immense natural and cultural wealth, India attracts far fewer foreign tourists than much smaller countries such as Thailand, Singapore, or even Vietnam. This gap points to a hard truth: tourism success is not determined only by what a country has to offer, but by how easily, safely, and comfortably visitors can experience it. India’s underperforming tourism sector reflects not a lack of beauty, but a lack of functionality.

Tourism Is About Experience, Not Just Attractions

Tourism today is not driven merely by monuments, beaches, or landscapes. It is driven by end-to-end experience.

• How easy is it to enter the country?

• How safe does a visitor feel, especially women and solo travellers?

• How predictable and hassle-free is movement, accommodation, and communication?

• How welcoming is the human interaction at every stage?

India’s tourism deficit is therefore not accidental. It is a symptom of deeper structural, governance, and service-delivery failures that affect how the country is perceived and experienced by outsiders.

The Image Problem: Perception Meets Reality

India’s global tourism image is weighed down by persistent negative perceptions.

• International narratives are shaped by:

  • Safety concerns, particularly for women

  • Scams, touts, and harassment

  • Poor sanitation and hygiene

  • Bureaucratic complexity and unpredictability

• Branding campaigns such as “Incredible India” have created visibility, but branding cannot substitute for ground-level credibility.

• Successful Asian tourism destinations have understood this well:

  • They may have fewer attractions than India

  • But they are predictable, clean, safe, efficient, and tourist-friendly

• When experience does not match marketing, credibility erodes — and repeat visits decline.

Tourism reputation is cumulative, and India’s problem is not invisibility but inconsistency.

Infrastructure Deficit: Where the Experience Breaks Down

For a tourist, the experience begins the moment they arrive.

• Airports, immigration counters, signage, taxis, Wi-Fi, and information desks shape first impressions.

• In India, these are often Inconsistent across cities, Confusing for first-time visitors, Poorly coordinated across agencies

• Beyond airports, problems intensify:

  • Weak last-mile connectivity

  • Broken roads and potholes

  • Poor signage in foreign languages

  • Lack of clean, accessible public toilets

• Heritage sites are frequently poorly maintained, encroached upon, supported by outdated, uninspiring museums

• The hospitality sector itself suffers from shortage of trained staff, weak vocational education, high attrition and informal employment

Tourists may forgive crowds or chaos, but not basic dysfunction.

The “India Itself” Factor

India’s greatest strength is also one of its biggest challenges.

• Overcrowding, noise, and sensory overload can overwhelm visitors unfamiliar with Indian conditions.

• More damaging, however, are human interactions that erode trust are Scammers, Aggressive touts, Harassment and exploitation

• Tourism is often not treated as a respected profession:

  • Guides, drivers, and service workers are poorly trained

  • Employment is informal and low-status

  • Service culture is weak and inconsistent

In countries that succeed in tourism, service is treated as a skill and a career. In India, it is still too often treated as a fallback option.

Visa and Immigration: The First Gatekeeper

India has made progress through e-visas, but remains behind many Asian competitors.

• Entry processes are still slower, less intuitive, more bureaucratic than necessary

• Improvements needed include:

  • Faster and simpler e-visa approvals

  • Long-term, multi-entry visas for frequent travellers

  • Selective visa-on-arrival for low-risk countries

• Immigration staff are frontline ambassadors:

  • They need better training

  • A welcoming, service-oriented orientation

  • Clear accountability for conduct and efficiency

Tourism cannot grow if entry itself feels intimidating or unfriendly.

Safety and Human Resources: The Non-Negotiables

Safety is the single most decisive factor in tourism choice.

• India needs to work on the below mentioned front:

  • Expanded and professionalised tourist police

  • Greater presence of women personnel

  • Multilingual support systems

• There must be verified and certified guides, regulated transport services, strict action against scams, harassment, and exploitation

• At the same time, India must invest seriously in:

  • Vocational training for guides, hospitality staff, homestay operators

  • Skills for eco-tourism, heritage interpretation, and local crafts

A safe tourist is a satisfied tourist; a satisfied tourist is the best advertisement.

Sustainability and Authenticity

Global tourism is shifting rapidly.

• Visitors increasingly seek Eco-tourism, Cultural immersion, Meaningful, authentic experiences

• India must avoid repeating the mistakes of mass tourism with overdevelopment, environmental degradation, Cultural dilution

• The focus should be on:

  • Community-based tourism

  • Conservation of fragile ecosystems

  • Local ownership and benefit-sharing

• Tourism growth must enhance, not destroy, the very culture and environment that attract visitors.

Way Forward: From Beautiful to Functional

India does not need to reinvent itself — it needs to function better.

• Rebranding must be backed by substance, with focused narratives such as Spiritual India, Adventure India, Luxury and Wellness India

• Infrastructure must be world-class:

  • Roads, rail, airports, digital connectivity, clean amenities

• Heritage revival needs scale:

  • Expand “Adopt a Heritage”

  • Modernise museums with technology and storytelling

• Digital storytelling should be leveraged by Virtual tours, Immersive content and Influencer and diaspora partnerships

• Visa reforms must prioritise ease and predictability.

• Sustainability must guide all expansion.

• Tourism should be recognised as:

  • A major employment generator for unskilled and semi-skilled youth

  • A strategic national priority, not a peripheral sector

Conclusion

India does not suffer from a lack of history, culture, or natural beauty. It suffers from weak systems, inconsistent service, and avoidable governance failures. Without fixing fundamentals — image, infrastructure, safety, and service culture — India will remain a tantalising idea rather than a top-tier global destination. The world is not unwilling to visit India; it is simply cautious. If India can become functional before being aspirational, welcoming before being promotional, it can finally unlock the full potential of tourism — not just as an economic sector, but as a bridge between India and the world.