Need To Change Perception That India Is Unsafe For Women Tourists: Shashi Tharoor

Last Updated:September 14, 2025, 21:53 IST

Shashi Tharoor urges urgent reforms in India’s tourism sector, stressing women’s safety and infrastructure gaps amid industry growth projections.

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor. (PTI file photo)

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has called for urgent reforms in India’s tourism sector, highlighting the need to improve safety for women and bridge the gap in the country’s hospitality infrastructure. The Congress leader made the remarks at the Skal India National Congress 2025 event in Mumbai on Saturday.

Tharoor emphasised that India’s image is affected by concerns over women’s safety, especially among international travellers.

“Our nation has an image that India is not safe for women. We need to change this image. We have to do something about it. More women police officers must be deployed in tourist areas…," the Congress MP said while addressing reporters.

Underlining the importance of tourism in driving India’s economic growth, he said, “We have a lot of things to do. Tourism is very important. This gives employment to the people. It will increase revenue for the government. We need to improve our infrastructure," ANI reported.

He also pointed to key gaps in the current tourism ecosystem, saying, “We either have high-end 5-star hotels or extremely poor quality; there is nothing in between. We need to construct a lot."

The Congress leader’s comments come amid a positive outlook for India’s tourism and hospitality industry. According to a report by IDBI Capital, the sector is expected to reach nearly $60 billion by 2028, driven mainly by a sharp rise in domestic travel. Domestic tourist numbers are projected to grow from 2.5 billion in 2024 to 5.2 billion by 2030, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 13.4%.

The report further mentioned that overall spending by both domestic and international travellers is expected to almost triple to Rs 33.95 trillion by 2034. Improved air, road, and rail connectivity is seen as a key factor behind this growth. The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) also projects strong demand, supported by increased corporate travel and a rise in meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions (MICE) activities.

Manisha Roy

Manisha Roy is a Senior Sub-Editor at News18.com's general desk. She comes with an experience of over 5 years in media industry. She covers politics and other hard news. She can be contacted at Manisha.Roy@nw18...Read More

Manisha Roy is a Senior Sub-Editor at News18.com's general desk. She comes with an experience of over 5 years in media industry. She covers politics and other hard news. She can be contacted at Manisha.Roy@nw18...

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