Overview
India chaired the first BRICS Tourism Working Group meeting of 2026 in virtual mode. India set four priorities: AI in tourism, sustainable tourism, skill development, and seamless travel. Jaipur will host the next meetings in August 2026, including the Tourism Ministers’ Meeting.
India Takes the Lead in BRICS Tourism
India is chairing BRICS in 2026. BRICS is a group of five major countries: Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. In 2024, the group expanded to include new members. Tourism is one important area of cooperation. On a recent date in 2026, India chaired the first BRICS Tourism Working Group Meeting. This meeting was held virtually. It was the first formal platform under India’s leadership to discuss tourism collaboration. India has set a new agenda for the year. The theme is “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability.” Let us understand what India has proposed and what happens next.
The First BRICS Tourism Working Group Meeting
The 1st BRICS 2026 Tourism Working Group Meeting was chaired by the Joint Secretary of Tourism. This officer works under the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India. The meeting was held in virtual mode. That means all member countries joined through video conferencing. The virtual meeting served as the first formal platform for BRICS nations to discuss tourism cooperation under India’s leadership. Each member country presented introductory remarks. They also aligned themselves with India’s priorities for strengthening tourism cooperation. The meeting was successful in setting a positive tone for the year ahead.
India’s Four Key Tourism Priorities for BRICS 2026
India has outlined four major thematic priorities. These will shape BRICS tourism cooperation in 2026. Let us look at each one.
1. Use of AI in Tourism
India put strong emphasis on the growing role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to transform tourism services. AI can improve personalised travel experiences. For example, a travel app can suggest places you might like based on your past trips. AI can also help with tourism forecasting and analytics. That means predicting how many tourists will visit a place and when. AI can also enable smart destination management. This includes managing crowds, optimising transport, and improving safety. India believes AI is the future of tourism.
2. Sustainable and Responsible Tourism
Sustainable tourism is the need of the hour. India highlighted the need to encourage eco-friendly tourism practices. This means reducing plastic, saving water, and protecting nature. Conservation-based destination management means keeping tourist spots clean and preserving their natural beauty. Community participation means involving local people in tourism decisions. Reduced environmental footprint means lowering pollution and waste. India wants BRICS countries to work together on these goals.
3. Tourism Skilling and Capacity Building
Tourism is an employment-intensive sector. That means it creates many jobs. But workers need the right skills. India proposed stronger cooperation in workforce training, hospitality skills development, tourism entrepreneurship, and knowledge-sharing initiatives. For example, a hotel worker in Brazil can learn from a hotel worker in India. A tour guide in Russia can share best practices with a guide in South Africa. This will strengthen employment generation across all BRICS nations.
4. Seamless Travel and Connectivity
Although not detailed in the given text, the short overview mentioned “seamless travel” as a priority. This includes easier visas, better flights, and