Even while over 79% of Indian tourists now choose eco-friendly travel, just 1% to 2% of domestic travel can now be categorized as eco-friendly, which is a very small percentage compared to global figures, according to Deep Kalra, the founder and chairman of MakeMyTrip.
He was giving a speech at the India Travel & Tourism Sustainability Conclave, which was organized by the World Travel & Tourism Council India Initiative (WTTCII) and the MakeMyTrip Foundation.
According to Kalra, the sustainable tourism industry is expected to reach USD 11.4 trillion globally in ten years, with India’s market expected to rise from its present USD 37 million to USD 216 million. In 2023, the global market for sustainable tourism was projected to be worth USD 2.73 trillion.
However, he said that the country’s market is expected to grow significantly over the next ten years. “India’s sustainable tourism market is still small now, but it will be one of the fastest-growing markets in ten years,” Kalra stated.
Sustainable tourism aims at maintaining economic and social benefits of tourism development while reducing or mitigating any negative impacts on the natural, historic, cultural, or social environment. Sustainability helps in protecting the culture, natural resources, and social environment of the local people.
India, with its diverse landscapes, historical monuments, and a rich cultural heritage, has long been a magnet for both international and domestic tourists. The transition to a sustainable tourism model presents multifaceted challenges, including environmental degradation, economic vulnerabilities, and socio-cultural disruptions, a KPMG report stated.
According to a digital travel platform, Agoda’s 2025 Sustainable Travel Survey, India ranks among the top five Asian countries where travellers are increasingly factoring sustainability into their travel plans. About 82% of Indian respondents said environmental considerations would influence their travel choices next year, just behind the Philippines, which topped the list at 86%.
Indian travellers, in particular, are guided by personal values and beliefs, with 24% citing these as their primary motivation for more sustainable travel, the survey observed.
“As we think about the future of India’s travel & tourism sector, it is clear that sustainability cannot remain a peripheral concern. It must be embedded at the very core of how we envision the growth of businesses. This will require greater alignment between policy, industry, and implementation at the grassroots level,” said Kalra.
India’s Ministry of Tourism has formulated a National Strategy for Sustainable Tourism, emphasising promoting environmental sustainability and protecting biodiversity. “The Ministry of Tourism adopts environmental sustainability as one of the key principles of sustainable tourism as laid down by UN Tourism. It will entail optimal use of environmental resources that constitute a key element in tourism development, maintaining essential ecological processes and helping to conserve natural heritage and biodiversity,” the programme vision states.
The ministry also launched ‘Travel for LiFE’ Initiative to promote sustainable tourism in India.
“Tackling the challenge of sustainability requires collective action. Every stakeholder has a crucial role to play, but more importantly, it has to be a people’s movement,” said Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Union Minister of Tourism and Culture.
It comes down to a sense of accountability. In an effort to make tourism sustainable, the government is making every effort. Additionally, the public is beginning to understand what it means to travel sustainably. The Union Minister went on to say, “They simply need a push to do it, which government programs aim to provide.”
K.B. Kachru, president of the Hotel Association of India, remarked, “It was encouraging to see the conclave bring together so many strong voices to focus not just on why sustainability matters but how we can act on it.”
