Tourism is an important pillar of Rajasthan Geography, reflecting the state’s rich natural, historical, and cultural landscape. Rajasthan attracts visitors through its forts, palaces, desert landscapes, wildlife sanctuaries, fairs, and religious sites, making it one of India’s leading tourist destinations. The tourism sector significantly contributes to the state economy by generating employment, promoting heritage conservation, and supporting regional development.
Introduction
- Tourism was given Industry status on 4 March 1989, on the recommendation of the Mohammad Yunus committee.
- Tourism was given “People Industry status” in 2004 – 05.
- Rajasthan Tourism’s tagline is “Rajasthan – Incredible State of India”.
- Slogan of the tourism department “Padharo Mhare Desh” sung by Allah Zilah Bai in Mand singing style.
- Representative Animal – Camel
Role of the Tourism Sector in Rajasthan’s GDP
- The tourism sector contributes around 12% to the State’s GDP.
- A total of 20.72 lakh foreign tourists visited Rajasthan in the calendar year 2024.
- A total of 2,300.84 lakh domestic tourists visited Rajasthan in the calendar year – 2024
- Domestic tourists increased by 28.50% and foreign tourists by 21.92% in the year 2024.
- Rajasthan secured the 5th rank in the country in terms of domestic and foreign tourist visits.
- International tourist visits in Rajasthan
- Jaipur
- Udaipur
- Jodhpur
- Jaisalmer
- Ajmer
- Domestic tourist visits in Rajasthan
- Sikar
- Chittorgarh
- Ajmer
- Jaisalmer
- Sawai-Madhopur
- The status of visiting tourists from various countries
- United States of America
- United kingdom
- Italy
- Australia
- Bangladesh
Tourist Circuit/Centres of Rajasthan
| Tourist Circuit/Centres of Rajasthan | |
| Golden Triangle | Jaipur, Delhi, and Agra is called the Golden Triangle. |
| Desert Triangle | Bikaner, Jaisalmer, Jodhpur |
| Shekhawati | Churu, Sikar, Jhunjhunu |
| Budha Circuit | Bairath (Jaipur) to Kalvi (Jhalawar) |
| Tribal Circuit | Banswara, Dungarpur, Udaipur, Pratapgarh |
| Krishna Circuit | Shri Nathji (Rajsamand), Khatushyamji (Sikar), Govind Devji, Galtaji, Kanak Vrindavan (Jaipur) |
| Balaji Circuit | Salasar – Churu Pandupol – Alwar Mehandipur – Dausa Samod Veer Hanuman Mandir – Jaipur |
| Ranthambore Circuit | Sawai Madhopur – Tonk. |
| Hadoti Circuit – | Kota, Bundi, Jhalawar |
| Bharatpur Circuit | Bharatpur, Deeg, Dholpur |
| Mewar Circuit | Nathdwara (Udaipur), Kumbhalgarh, Chittorgarh |
| Mount Abu Circuit – | Mount Abu, Ranakpur, Jalore |
| Merwada Circuit – | Ajmer, Pushkar, Nagaur, Merta |
| Alwar Circuit | Alwar (Siliserh-Sariska) |
| Dhundhar Circuit | Jaipur, Amer, Samod, Ramgarh, Dausa, Abhaneri. |
| Godwad Circuit | Pali, Jalore, Barmer, Sirohi |
| Archaeological Circuit | Bikaner, Jodhpur, Ajmer, Jaipur, Bharatpur, Udaipur, Kota |
| Wildlife Circuit | Jaipur, Alwar, Rajsamand, Pratapgarh, Dholpur, Karauli, Sirohi |
| Tirth Circuit | Nathdwara (Rajsamand), Mahaveer Ji (Karauli), Pushkar |
| Eco-Tourism Circuit | Jodhpur, Jaisalmer, Jaipur, Alwar, Sirohi, Rajsamand, Udaipur, Dholpur, Kota, Chittorgarh |
| Shaurya Circuit | Longewala war museum and Tanot Mata Temple (Jaisalmer). (Recently developed) |
Tourist Festivals in Rajasthan
| Festival | Associated District |
| Camel Festival | Bikaner |
| Kite Festival | Jaipur |
| Braj Festival | Bharatpur |
| Jaipur Literature Festival | Diggi Palace, Jaipur |
| Beneshwar Festival | Dungarpur |
| Maru Festival | Jaisalmer |
| Udaipur World Music Festival | Udaipur |
| Gangaur Festival | Jaipur |
| Mewar Festival | Udaipur |
| Kumbhalgarh Festival | udaipur |
| Summer Festival | Mount Abu |
| Teej Festival | Jaipur |
| Kajli Teej | Bundi |
| Aabhaneri Festival | Dausa |
| Marwar Festival | Jodhpur |
| Dussehra Festival | Kota |
| Chandrabhaga Festival | Jhalawar |
| Ranakpur Festival | Pali |
| Matasya Festival | Alwar |
| Kolayat Festival | Bikaner |
| Momasar Festival | Bikaner |
World Heritage Sites of Rajasthan
- Keoladev National Park (Bharatpur) – 1985
- Jantar – Manar (Jaipur) – 2010
- Kalbelia Folk Dance (Gulabo Sapera) – 2010
- 6 Forts – 2013
- Chittorgarh Fort (Chittorgarh)
- Kumbhalgarh Fort (Rajasamand)
- Sonargarh Fort (Jaisalmer)
- Ranthambore Fort (Sawai – Madhopur)
- Gagron Fort (Jhalawar)Amer Fort (Jaipur)
- Creative city -Jaipur
- Jaipur Wall City (Parkota) – 2019 – 20
- Heritage Circuit – On 26 June 2017 Union Ministry of tourism appeared following heritage sites in Rajasthan:-
- Nahargarh Fort – Jaipur
- Kumbhalgarh Fort – Rajsamand
- Ranthambore and Khander Fort – Sawai – Madhopur
- Bala Fort – Alwar
- Gagron Fort – Jhalawar
- Bhatner Fort – Hanumangarh
- Kalibanga – Hanumangarh
- Gogamedi – Hanumangarh
- Chittorgarh Fort
- Jaisalmer Fort
- Jalore fort
- Pratap Gaurav Centre – Udaipur
- Bagh – e- Nilofer, old Contanment – Dholpur
- Mirabai Memorial – Merta, Nagaur
Tourism Institutes
- Department of Tourism (Jaipur) – 1956
- Rajasthan Tourism Development Corporation (R.T.D.C) – 1st April 1979.
- Objective – Accommodation, Food, Transport for tourists.
- Rajasthan Institute of Tourism and Travel Management (RITTMAN) – April 29, 1996 (Jaipur)
- Rajasthan State Hotel Corporation Limited
- 3 Running
- Hotel Khasa Kothi -Jaipur
- Hotel Jaipur
- Hotel Anand Bhavan – Udaipur
| Tourism Related Centers | |
| Center of Excellence for Tourist Training | Udaipur |
| Tourism Convention Center | Jodhpur |
| Institute of Heritage Convention | Jaipur |
Tourism Policies
- Rajasthan is the first state in the country to issue a tourism policy.
- Tourism Policies of Rajasthan –
- 2001
- 2007
- 2015
- 9 September 2020
- Recent policy introduced In 5th – 4 December,2024
Rajasthan Tourism Unit Policy (RTUP) -2024
- Aim of increasing the benefits payable to investors and entrepreneurs associated with tourism and provide employment and entrepreneurship opportunities through encouraging the establishment of new tourism units in the private sector.
- Rajasthan Hotel Policy – 2006
Rajasthan Eco Tourism Policy –
- February 2010
- 15th July 2021
- Rajasthan Film Tourism Promotion Policy-2025 Released – on 24 December 2025 from Jhunjhunu.
- Major Provisions of the Policy
- Subsidy up to 30% of the total expenditure incurred on shooting of feature films, web series, TV serials, and documentaries in Rajasthan.
- Feature film: ₹3 crore, Web series: ₹2 crore, TV serial: ₹1.5 crore, Documentary: ₹2 crore
- To avail a subsidy, a minimum expenditure in Rajasthan is mandatory: Feature film: ₹2 crore, Web series, TV serial, and Rajasthani-language films: ₹1 crore.
- A 100% reimbursement of the permission charges/fees (for a maximum of five days) for shooting locations under the control of the State Government and Central Government will be provided.
- Feature films shot in Rajasthan that receive international awards will be given an incentive of up to ₹1 crore, while films that receive the National Film Award of the Government of India will receive an incentive of up to ₹50 lakh.
Student Assistance: Ten Rajasthani students studying at the Film and Television Institute of India (Pune), Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute (Kolkata), and the National School of Drama (Delhi) will be provided ₹50,000 per year as tuition fees and a monthly stipend of ₹5,000.
Tourism-related schemes
- HRIDAY yojana – Heritage city Development and Augmentation yojana
- Launch – 21 January, 2015
- Ajmer (Rajasthan )
- PRASAD scheme – Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual Augmentation Drive
- March – 2015
- Pushkar, Dargarh Moinuddin Chisti – Ajmer (Rajasthan)
- Senior Citizen Tirtha Yatra Yojana:-
- Under this scheme, free travel and darshan facility is being provided to senior citizens of the State to different religious places of the country
- Mewar Complex Scheme
Refers to the ongoing development of the Maharana Pratap Tourist Circuit in Rajasthan, a state project to boost tourism by developing historical sites linked to the legendary King Maharana Pratap (Haldighati, Gogunda, etc.)
UNESCO Geo – Heritage Parks and Sites
- UNESCO Global Geoparks are single, integrated geographical areas where sites and ecosystems of international geological importance are managed with a holistic approach of conservation, education and sustainable development.
- The diversity found in the Earth’s materials and forms (minerals, rocks, fossils, topography, sediments, water and soil) is called geodiversity.
Global Geo-Park:-
- This concept was started in 2001 AD.
- UNESCO has 213 Global Geoparks in 48 countries.
- India doesn’t have any declared geoparks to date.
- ‘Lamheta Ghat’ (Madhya Pradesh) is proposed to be the first Geo Park in India. This place is famous for dinosaur fossils and ancient rocks.
Geoheritage sites in Rajasthan
- The Geological Survey of India has declared 12 sites of Rajasthan as ‘Geoheritage Sites’
- Sendra Granite, Pali
- Barr Conglomerate, Pali
- Stromatolite Fossil Park, Jhamar kotra Rock
- Gossan in the Rajpura-Dariba Mineralised belt
- Stromatolite Park Near Bhojunda, Chittorgarh
- Akal Wood Fossil Park, Jaisalmer
- Kishangarh Nepheline Syenite, Ajmer
- Jodhpur Group – Malani Igneous Suite Contact, Jodhpur
- Welded Tuff, Jodhpur
- Great Boundary Fault at Satur, Bundi
- Ramgarh crater- Baran
- Zawar lead-zinc mine, Udaipur
