The TNIE Tourism Summit 2026 brought together tourism officials and industry stakeholders at ITC Grand Chola in Chennai to discuss tourism infrastructure, connectivity, cultural tourism and destination development across India.
At the session ‘Land of Mahabharata – The Epic Odyssey’, KM Pandurang, commissioner and secretary, Information, Public Relations, Languages and Culture Department, Government of Haryana, announced plans for film and music festivals in the state this year. Haryana is also looking to collaborate with private partners to strengthen its live-performance ecosystem.
He highlighted the development of six museums, including the Rakhigarhi Museum showcasing the Indus Valley Civilisation, along with a war memorial and a museum on the Battle of Rewari. He also spoke about Rakhigarhi, where excavations are ongoing, and the Surajkund International Festival, which has expanded over the years in terms of its duration and participation.
Ladakh was also discussed during the session ‘Culture, Nature, Adventure – Travels to the Top of the World’. Ashish Kundra, chief secretary, Union Territory of Ladakh, outlined plans to expand tourism infrastructure in the region.
Daily flight capacity at Leh is expected to increase from 18 to 54 flights by next year, while a new airport terminal is scheduled to be inaugurated next month. The Air Force strip at Nubra Valley is also being prepared for civilian use by next year, which could allow direct flights from Delhi to Nubra.
Kundra also highlighted developments in road and power connectivity, including the Zoji La tunnel and power grid connections extending to Siachen, Drass and Zanskar.
The afternoon sessions focused on Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, with discussions around infrastructure, connectivity, hospitality and destination marketing.
Madhya Pradesh has invested Rs 25,000 crore in tourism infrastructure, with a focus on connectivity and religious and heritage tourism circuits. Ilayaraja, secretary, CM and Government of MP, Tourism Department, said the state was addressing challenges including sanitation, cleanliness, hygiene, visa-related issues and connectivity.
“Tourism is completely dependent on these things, and the tourism department cannot do it alone,” he said, highlighting the need for coordination with local bodies and district administrations.
The state has also established a reputation management cell within the tourism department to monitor visitor feedback on social media and share concerns with district administrations.
The Ujjain-Indore region is also being developed as part of an Omkar circuit covering Indore, Omkareshwar and Ujjain. With Ujjain scheduled to host the Simhastha mela in 2028, the state is strengthening road connectivity and other infrastructure to prepare for the expected increase in visitors.
Chhattisgarh is also focusing on expanding its tourism sector through infrastructure development, hospitality investments, skill development and destination marketing.
Solai Bharathi Dasan, secretary, Tourism, Chhattisgarh Government, said the state was attracting interest from hospitality brands and investors, particularly in emerging destinations. He also highlighted the potential of Chhattisgarh’s road network and said the state’s tourism potential could grow significantly.
Saumil Ranjan Chaubey, MD, Tourism Board, Chhattisgarh, encouraged visitors and investors to explore the state’s destinations. “People should explore Chhattisgarh before it grows and becomes expensive,” he said.
Chaubey also described the limited hospitality infrastructure and tourist footfall as a “chicken and egg problem”. “Hospitality partners would come in where there is tourist footfall, and tourists would come in where there are hospitality partners. So that is why we are stepping in,” he said, adding that the government was working as a facilitator by incentivising investors and strengthening tourism marketing.
The state is also developing destination-specific skill programmes for regions including Bastar, northern Chhattisgarh and the Raipur-Bilaspur belt. “Bastar storytelling will be different, so only local people will be selected,” the officials said, with the focus on preserving tribal culture while creating employment opportunities for local communities.
