India’s Modest Sustainable Tourism Market Set to Boom in 10 Years: MakeMyTrip Founder

While more than 79% of Indian travellers now prioritise sustainable travel, only 1–2% of tourism in the country can currently be classified as sustainable — a minuscule fraction of international numbers, said Deep Kalra, MakeMyTrip founder and chairman.

He was speaking at the India Travel & Tourism Sustainability Conclave, jointly organised by MakeMyTrip Foundation and World Travel & Tourism Council India Initiative (WTTCII).

Kalra said that as India’s sustainable tourism market is set to grow to USD 216 million in a decade from the current USD 37 million, globally, the sector is set to grow to USD 11.4 trillion. The global sustainable tourism market size was estimated at USD 2.73 trillion in 2023.

He, however, added that the market is poised to boom in the next 10 years in the country. “India’s sustainable tourism market is still modest in size at present, but in 10 years, it will be among the fastest-growing markets,” said Kalra.

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’s a matter of sense of responsibility. The government is doing its best to make tourism sustainable. The citizens are also starting to become aware of what it means to travel green. They just need a push to do it, which government programmes aim to provide,” the Union Minister added.

“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,” said K.B. Kachru, president, Hotel Association of India.