India's tourism ambitions have entered a new phase. It's no longer debating whether tourism matters to the economy, or whether it has enough destinations and cultural assets to attract visitors. It's also investing significantly in airports, roads and destination infrastructure. The harder question is how to make these pieces work together so that visitors choose to come, stay longer, spend more, and return.
India has used PPPs in tourism for years. Governments have invited private companies to build hotels, resorts and other facilities. But can we move from PPPs around individual tourism assets to partnerships around the destination itself? A tourist doesn't experience the tourism ministry, ASI, municipality, hotel company or state tourism department separately. They arrive at an airport, take a taxi, check into a hotel, visit monuments, eat at restaurants, and perhaps hire a local guide. If the road is poor, signage confusing, or there is nothing interesting to do after sunset, the destination simply feels disappointing.
