India’s tourism momentum has surged, earning it third place in The Telegraph UK’s most desirable countries to travel to in 2025, right behind New Zealand and Japan. Chartered Accountant Sarthak Ahuja’s viral LinkedIn post points to a broader boom in India’s hospitality space and changing travel habits.

Ahuja’s snapshot: destination trends and hospitality growth

Top global destinations

“Do you know what are the top 3 most desirable countries to travel to in the world in 2025?… In the top 3 most desirable countries to travel to… No. 1 is New Zealand No. 2 is Japan And No. 3 is… India!” reports Ahuja, citing this year’s Telegraph Travel Awards.

He adds that the top cities globally are “Cape Town, Seville, and Sydney,” and the hotel rankings feature two Indian properties:

Hospitality in overdrive

India’s hotel industry is responding fast: “IHCL that operates the Taj Hotels has opened 50 properties since Jan 2024… and is planning on getting to 700 hotels from the current 350 by 2030. Accor group from France is planning on getting to 300 hotels, tripling in the same time period.”

With per‑capita GDP crossing USD 3,000, domestic travel demand is booming. India currently has about 200,000 branded hotel rooms, roughly equal to the UAE, which has less than 1% of India’s population.

Destination weddings are turning Siliguri into a hotspot

Ahuja shares firsthand insight: “I was in Siliguri this weekend and was surprised to see that the biggest hotel chains are now opening there because it is turning into a destination wedding location for people from Bihar and Bengal… with Mayfair already operational, and the likes of Taj, ITC, Hyatt planning on opening because people are spending Rs 1 crore in this belt on weddings and there are literally not enough properties with 100 rooms.”

He concludes that it’s “such an opportune time for people to run AirBnBs, or boutique hotel properties in India… because as the rich start traveling overseas once every year… they take at least 3 other short domestic trips in the same year.”

Why India’s tourism outlook matters

• India hitting its travel moment: Per-capita income growth is fueling domestic and outbound travel.

• Hospitality scaling fast: Major chains expanding aggressively to meet rising demand.

• Tier‑2 boom: Emerging wedding and travel hubs like Siliguri are drawing national chains.

• Entrepreneurial opportunity: Growth in short‑term stays and boutique property rentals.