New Delhi: India’s position as a global luxury tourism destination lies in its ability to blend heritage hospitality, spirituality, and technology, said panelists at the TV9 Network Travel and Tourism Summit.
The panel featured eminent personalities from government, hospitality, media, and lifestyle sectors. Among them were Raktim Das, Chief Growth Officer, TV9 Network; Suman Birla, Additional Secretary General (Tourism), Ministry of Tourism, Government of India; Sandeep Marwah, Chancellor, Asian Academy of Film and Television; Jyotsna Suri, Chairperson and Managing Director, Lalit Hospitality Group; Ishika Taneja, spiritual leader and Miss World Tourism India 2018; and Manoj Adlakha, Founder and CEO of Red Barrel Lifestyle Services.
Suman Birla, Additional Secretary General (Tourism), Government of India, said that India’s strength lies in its attention to detail. “The greatest luxury is spirituality, the ability to recognise the divinity in you. Luxury here is not about excess, it’s about curating experiences that make guests feel truly welcome,” she said, emphasizing the government’s focus on sustainability and inclusivity.
TV9 Network’s Chief Growth Officer, Raktim Das, said storytelling was at the heart of luxury experiences. “Attention is rare these days. Every person scrolls nearly 300 feet of content daily, equal to the height of the Statue of Liberty. The challenge is to capture that attention with compelling stories of India’s luxury offerings,” he noted, pointing to the growing influence of AI, AR, and VR in the travel and tourism sector.
Sandeep Marwah, Chancellor of the Asian Academy of Film and Television, also stated the importance of creativity in engaging audiences. “Luxury tourism storytelling must think out of the box and add emotions. That’s what filmmaking is all about,” he said, citing the success of Noida Film City, which has drawn over nine crore visitors in 34 years and pioneered the concept of “film and culture tourism.”
Other panelists, including hospitality leader Jyotsna Suri and CEO of Red Barrel Lifestyle Services, Manoj Adlakha, also emphasised the fact that growing demand for spiritual tourism and infrastructure that balances heritage with modern expectations.