The first edition of the India Travel & Tourism Sustainability Conclave, organised by MakeMyTrip Foundation and World Travel & Tourism Council India Initiative (WTTCII), was held in New Delhi, bringing together over 30 credible voices from government, industry, and civil society. Inaugurated by Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Minister of Tourism & Culture, the day-long conclave served as a platform to align on a shared sustainability agenda for Indian travel & tourism sector featuring five sectoral discussions covering hospitality, aviation, mobility, climate action and responsible tourism.
The event saw the launch of the Sustainable Hospitality Handbook, developed by the Hotel Association of India (HAI) in collaboration with MakeMyTrip. The handbook offers hotels a practical framework to adopt environmentally responsible practices across energy, water, waste, and community impact. It draws on globally recognized methodologies and Indian case studies, aiming to make sustainability implementation accessible across the hospitality spectrum.
As a direct next step from the day’s discussions, the MakeMyTrip Foundation and WTTCII will work towards developing a report on sustainable travel & tourism in India. The document will draw on the insights and priorities surfaced at the Conclave to outline a roadmap for action.
Addressing the Conclave Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Minister of Tourism & Culture, Government of India, said “We need more such platforms that bring the tourism ecosystem together for a meaningful dialogue on sustainability I am happy to see the MakeMyTrip Foundation and WTTCII take the lead in facilitating these conversations, and hope to see outcomes from today inform how the sector grows in the years ahead.”
Deep Kalra, Chair, World Travel & Tourism Council, India Chapter and Managing Trustee, MakeMyTrip Foundation, said: “As we think about the future of India’s travel & tourism sector, it is clear that sustainability cannot remain a peripheral concern. It must be embedded at the very core of how we envision growth of businesses. This will require greater alignment between policy, industry, and implementation at the grassroot level. Through this Conclave, our endeavour was to move beyond conversation and focus on action. The Sustainable Hospitality Handbook is a step in that direction, and the proposed report will help carry the momentum forward.”
“It was encouraging to see the Conclave bring together so many strong voices to focus not just on why sustainability matters, but how we can act on it. The Sustainable Hospitality Handbook is intended to support that effort by offering practical and adaptable guidance. It is designed to support hotels of all sizes in embracing more conscious practices, and we hope it inspires wider adoption across the sector.” said K.B. Kachru, President, Hotel Association of India
Discussions across the day covered a broad range of priorities—from decarbonising aviation and electrifying public transport to reducing resource use in hotels and building more resilient local economies. These sessions were shaped by real-world perspectives from leaders at Air India Express, SpiceJet, Akasa Air, ITC, IHCL, Lemon Tree, Sarovar Hotels, GreenCell, Chalo, Momentum India, IIM Lucknow, TERI and sustainability body such as GSTC, each bringing practical insight into how sustainability can be scaled across different segments of Indian travel.
The strong participation at the Conclave underscored a growing consensus: sustainability is no longer a peripheral conversation, but a defining priority for how Indian travel and tourism sector must evolve. With actionable tools in motion and a roadmap underway, the event marked a meaningful step towards aligning ambition with implementation.
