A Literature Review: Challenges and Opportunities in India's TourismEntrepreneurship Passenger Perceptions of IRCTC Services

Tourism entrepreneurship has emerged as a transformative contributor to India’s socioeconomic growth, creating employment, boosting revenue, and enhancing travel experiences.With the rapid expansion of digital platforms, tourism services have witnessed a paradigm shifttoward innovation-driven service delivery. Within this context, the Indian Railway Catering andTourism Corporation (IRCTC) has emerged as a significant facilitator of tourismentrepreneurship through its diverse platforms in ticketing, catering, package tours, pilgrimcircuits, and hospitality-based offerings. As a public sector entrepreneurial initiative, IRCTC hasplayed a pivotal role in democratizing travel accessibility and enhancing national tourismconnectivity. However, passenger perception and satisfaction are critical determinants ofIRCTC’s sustainability as an entrepreneurial model. This paper presents a literature-basedreview analyzing the challenges and opportunities in India’s tourism entrepreneurship landscape,with a specific focus on assessing customer satisfaction and perception toward IRCTC services.The review synthesizes findings from academic studies, industry reports, and public sectorentrepreneurship frameworks to highlight key trends, constraints, growth drivers, and serviceexperience determinants. The study concludes that digital innovation, enhanced service quality,and customer-centric strategies can significantly strengthen tourism entrepreneurship throughIRCTC while addressing existing operational and experiential gaps. The literature furtheridentifies a clear demand for sustained quality improvements and strategic opportunities intourism-driven economic development.