Abstract
This study examines whether India’s post-2014 tourism policy architecture has contributed to systemic ecosystem development rather than episodic growth. Drawing on governance typology theory and state-level empirical evidence, the paper evaluates how layered policy instruments—including destination infrastructure schemes, circuit-based development, and domestic demand activation—interact within a hybrid governance framework. Using state-wise domestic tourist visit data (2004–2024), centrally funded destination project allocations, and baseline economic indicators, the analysis assesses spatial diffusion, income-neutral expansion, differentiated state trajectories, and post-COVID resilience. Findings indicate a statistically significant decline in tourism concentration across states, suggesting diffusion beyond historically dominant destinations. Regression results show that cumulative destination policy exposure is positively associated with tourism scale, while baseline income is not statistically significant, indicating that tourism expansion was not structurally confined to higher-income states. Cluster analysis reveals differentiated but patterned state pathways, reflecting multi-level mediation rather than uniform growth. The rapid rebound of domestic tourism following the COVID-19 shock further demonstrates systemic resilience. Rather than attributing outcomes to isolated schemes, the paper proposes a governance–ecosystem model in which hierarchical coordination, market participation, and network-based implementation jointly contribute to ecosystem deepening. The findings offer policy-relevant insights for evaluating tourism transformation in large federal systems.