§1How big it is

§2Ways to get started

  • Homestay in a hill or heritage town
  • Local tour and trek operator
  • Cafe / restaurant
  • Pilgrimage travel packages
  • Wellness and yoga retreat
  • Event and wedding tourism services

See the Business Encyclopedia

§3Hubs and clusters

  • Golden Triangle (Delhi-Agra-Jaipur), Goa, Kerala, Rajasthan, Himalayan states, pilgrimage circuits (well-known; not confirmed from an official list)

§4Licences and registration

  1. Hotel project approval and star classification (Ministry of Tourism - HRACC) - voluntary but needed for some benefits
  2. Homestay / B&B registration with state tourism department
  3. FSSAI licence for food service; bar licence from state excise
  4. Fire NOC, building/trade licence from local body; police registration (Form C for foreign guests)
  5. Ministry of Tourism approval for tour operators / travel agents (voluntary, via NIDHI+ portal)
  6. Udyam Registration (MSME) - free, online, PAN + Aadhaar based
  7. GST registration (mandatory above turnover threshold or for inter-state supply / e-commerce sale)
  8. Shops & Establishment registration or Factory Licence (Factories Act / state rules) depending on size and power use
  9. Consent to Establish and Consent to Operate from the State Pollution Control Board - category (Red/Orange/Green/White) as per CPCB 2025 harmonised list; White category is exempt from consent
  10. IEC (Importer Exporter Code) from DGFT if you import or export

§5Regulators

  • Ministry of Tourism (hotel classification, approval of tour operators)
  • State tourism departments (homestay registration)
  • FSSAI (restaurants)
  • Police / municipal licences

§6Government help

  • Swadesh Darshan 2.0
  • PRASHAD (pilgrimage infrastructure)
  • Champion Services Sector Scheme (tourism)
  • NIDHI+ registration
  • Incredible India Bed & Breakfast scheme (state-run variants)
  • Infra status for hotels above project cost threshold (harmonised master list)
  • Cross-sector schemes that also apply (detailed in the programmes file): Udyam benefits, PMEGP, PM Mudra Yojana, CGTMSE credit guarantee, Stand-Up India, MSE-CDP (cluster development), RAMP, MSME ZED and Lean certification, MSME Champions, TReDS, Startup India (SISFS seed fund, Fund of Funds, CGSS), RoDTEP, EPCG, Advance Authorisation, Districts as Export Hubs, ODOP (One District One Product)

All schemes

§7For exports

  • Services Export Promotion Council (SEPC)

§8Pros and cons

Merits

  • Tourism jobs grew from 68 million to 85 million in three years [PIB Dec 2025]
  • Low entry cost for homestays and tour services
  • International arrivals rising from 188.99 lakh (2023) to 205.69 lakh (2024) [PIB Dec 2025]

Demerits

  • Seasonal cash flows
  • Many local licences (fire, police, excise, municipal)
  • Exposed to shocks (pandemic, disasters, geopolitics)

Sources

  1. PIB press release (Ministry of Tourism): World Travel Market and FTAs (8 Dec 2025), PRID 2200323