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    TRAVEL & TOURISM                                                      AUGUST 07, 2026      |  The Indian Eye 42

                 India’s Tourism Sector Adds                                                                      Vande Bharat Trains

                     $263.6 Billion to Economy                                                                       to Boost Vaishno
                                                                                                                      Devi Pilgrimage

               ndia’s travel and tourism sector                                                                        ilgrims travelling to the Shri
               contributed $263.6 billion to the                                                                       Mata Vaishno Devi shrine are
            Inational economy in 2025, re-                                                                        Pset to benefit from significant-
            inforcing its position as one of the                                                                  ly improved rail connectivity as In-
            country’s fastest-growing industries                                                                  dian Railways introduces four new
            and  setting the  stage for India to                                                                  train services, including three Vande
            emerge among  the  world’s  top  four                                                                 Bharat Express trains. The move is
            tourism economies, according to the                                                                   expected to reduce travel  time, im-
            latest Economic Impact Research re-                                                                   prove passenger convenience, and
            leased by the World Travel & Tourism                                                                  strengthen  connectivity  between
            Council (WTTC).                                                                                       Jammu and Kashmir and major cities
                The report said the sector grew                                                                   across northern India.
            by  7.3%  in  2025,  significantly  out-                                                                  Among the newly announced
            pacing the global average growth                                                                      services are three Vande Bharat Ex-
            rate of 4.1%. Travel and tourism now                                                                  press trains designed to provide fast-
            account  for  6.6%  of  India’s  Gross                                                                er and more comfortable travel  for
            Domestic Product (GDP) while sup-                                                                     devotees. The expansion comes as
            porting 46.2 million jobs, equivalent                                                                 the government continues to invest
            to more than one in every ten jobs                                                                    in modernising railway infrastructure
            across the country.                                                                                   and promoting religious tourism.
                WTTC attributed the industry’s                                                                    The enhanced network is expected to
            strong performance to India’s robust                                                                  ease congestion during peak pilgrim-
            domestic  travel  market,  continued                                                                  age seasons while offering travellers
            investment in transport and tourism   tional growth and employment. The   remains the primary growth engine,   quicker access to Katra, the base
            infrastructure, and a diverse range of   organisation believes sustained in-  WTTC noted that increasing foreign   camp for the Vaishno Devi shrine.
            destinations that encourage visitors   vestment in connectivity, digital inno-  tourist arrivals and spending will be   According  to  railway  officials,
            to stay longer. The council said these   vation, destination management and   essential for India to climb further in   the additional trains will improve
            factors have positioned India among   workforce development will be crit-  the global tourism rankings.  regional connectivity  and  support
            the world’s most promising tourism   ical to maintaining this momentum.  Industry experts say the latest   the growing number of pilgrims vis-
            markets.                              The findings also underscore In-  figures  reflect  tourism’s  expand-  iting one of India’s most revered reli-
                Looking ahead, WTTC forecasts   dia’s long-term ambition to become   ing role as a key driver of economic   gious destinations. The introduction
            that India’s tourism economy will   one of the world’s leading travel des-  growth, employment generation and   of modern semi-high-speed trains
            continue to outperform the broad-  tinations by unlocking greater inter-  infrastructure development, with the   reflects  Indian  Railways’  broader
            er economy in 2026, with sectoral   national visitor demand alongside   sector expected to remain one of In-  strategy of expanding premium rail
            GDP expected to expand by 8.5%,   its already thriving domestic tour-  dia’s strongest-performing industries   services across the country and im-
            strengthening its contribution to na-  ism market. While domestic travel   over the coming decade.    proving last-mile access to important
                                                                                                                  pilgrimage centres.
                                                                                                                      The new services are also expect-
            Air India, Tourism Ministry to Boost India’s Tourism Appeal                                           ed to provide an economic boost to
                                                                                                                  the region by encouraging tourism,
                                                                                                                  increasing footfall at local businesses,
                  ir India has entered into a   outreach. The partnership seeks to   motional campaigns, co-branded   and creating better travel options for
                  strategic partnership with the   leverage Air India’s expanding do-  destination marketing and tourism   residents. Improved rail connectivity
            AMinistry of Tourism to jointly   mestic and international network to   storytelling across digital and offline   is likely to benefit not only pilgrims but
            promote India as a preferred global   attract more foreign visitors while   platforms. The collaboration will   also leisure travellers exploring Jam-
            tourism destination, marking the first   positioning India as a major aviation   also focus on promoting stopover   mu and Kashmir’s scenic attractions.
            such collaboration between the na-  and transit hub.                tourism,  enhancing  visitor  engage-  The announcement has been
            tional carrier and the ministry.      Union Minister for Tourism and   ment and exploring initiatives such   welcomed by devotees and tourism
                The initiative aims to strengthen   Culture Gajendra Singh Shekhawat   as a Visit India Pass to encourage in-  stakeholders, who believe the ad-
            the  country’s  global  tourism  profile   said the collaboration would give a   ternational travellers to extend their   ditional trains will make travel to
            through coordinated marketing cam-  fresh impetus to Indian tourism by   stay in the country.         Vaishno Devi faster, safer, and more
            paigns, destination promotion and   combining the airline’s global con-  Air India said the partnership re-  comfortable. With the inclusion of
            improved visitor experiences under   nectivity with the country’s diverse   flects its commitment to showcasing   multiple Vande Bharat services, pas-
            the Incredible India brand.       cultural, heritage and natural attrac-  India to the world while supporting   sengers can expect reduced journey
                The  Memorandum  of  Under-   tions. He noted that the initiative   the government’s efforts to boost in-  times, modern onboard amenities,
            standing (MoU), signed in New Delhi   would support seamless travel expe-  bound tourism. The airline will use   and enhanced travel experiences, re-
            on Monday, establishes a framework   riences and strengthen India’s visibil-  its extensive international route net-  inforcing Indian Railways’ commit-
            for collaboration across internation-  ity in key international markets.  work to promote Indian destinations   ment to expanding high-speed con-
            al tourism marketing, trade engage-   Under the agreement, both     and strengthen the country’s position   nectivity while supporting spiritual
            ment, transit tourism and traveller   partners will undertake joint pro-  in the global travel market.  tourism in the country.

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