Rajasthan to tap adventure, tribal tourism for job, GVA growth by 2030

With an aim to boost tourism, the Rajasthan government is shifting its focus to untapped segments such as adventure, rural, and tribal tourism, a senior tourism department official said.

 

“As per directions from the Principal Secretary Tourism, we would seek inputs from the Union government’s tourism department on adventure tourism. We are also seeking suggestions from other stakeholders on it,” the official said.

 

The department plans to map the potential of adventure tourism activities such as water-based, air-based, and land-based across the state in consultation with relevant departments and the Union tourism ministry.

 

According to government data, tourism — both direct and indirect — currently contributes around 7.45 per cent to the state’s gross value added (GVA) and accounts for over 11.35 per cent of total employment in Rajasthan. The government aims to raise these figures to 8.5 per cent of GVA and 13 per cent of total employment by 2030.

 

Alongside adventure tourism, the state also plans to focus on rural and tribal tourism, which have not been tapped fully. “Department of Tourism shall endeavour to develop a tribal themed cultural village in the tribal regions of Rajasthan to showcase their culture, food, dance, costumes, among others,” the official said.

 

In 2024, Rajasthan saw more than 232 million tourist arrivals, with over 230 million being domestic travellers.

 

Rajasthan is also looking to promote tribal tourism as the state is home to numerous nomadic tribal communities that make up around 13.5 per cent of its population. The department plans to upgrade tourist infrastructure at key tribal sites such as Mangarh Dham in Banswara and Beneshawar. A tribal-themed cultural village is also on the cards, aimed at showcasing tribal life, including food, dance, and attire.

 

The Rajasthan Rural Tourism Scheme 2022 was launched to encourage the development of rural tourism units and camping sites, offering tourists a glimpse into village life.

 

Rajasthan has already won the ‘Best Tourism Village’ award for two consecutive years. Menar in Udaipur and Naurangabad (Shri Mahveer Ji) in Karauli received the honour in 2023, while Devmali in Beawar was recognised in 2024. To further promote rural tourism, the department will also highlight villages known for handicrafts, dance, music, and other folk arts.