Tourism Development in India: Problems and Prospects in View of Viksit Bharat 2047 – Green Tourism Models

Abstract Tourism is one of the fastest growing sectors of the Indian economy as it generates vast amount of employment, promotes cultural exchange, ensures infrastructure development, and brings in foreign exchange. The development of tourism is a key enabler for achieving sustainable economic growth and inclusive development in the context of Viksit Bharat 2047, the vision of a developed India by 2047, the Centenary of Independence Day. The present study is of the tourism development in India with special reference to the problems, opportunities and green tourism models for the sustainable growth. The paper emphasizes the need for environmentally responsible tourism practice, the role of digital tourism infrastructure, community involvement, conservation of heritage and policy support in the promotion of responsible tourism. The available secondary data from the government reports, tourism policy documents, journals, books, and online resources were used. The paper highlights various challenges including environmental degradation, poor infrastructure, seasonal dependence of tourism, lack of skilled manpower, and lack of awareness about sustainable tourism. Meanwhile, it explores the future of green tourism, particularly via eco-tourism, rural tourism, heritage tourism and smart tourism strategies based on digital technology and government plans. The paper concludes that balancing economic growth with environmental protection and social development, the implementation of green tourism models and sustainable tourism practices can play an important role in achieving the goal of Viksit Bharat 2047. Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine how tourism can be developed to achieve the goal of Viksit Bharat 2047.Design/methodology/approach: The paper examines the development of tourism and its role in achieving the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047.