Rajasthan Tourism Unit Policy 2024 (RTUP-2024)

Rajasthan has consistently seen a steady rise in domestic and foreign tourist arrivals, and the State Government has invested heavily in tourism infrastructure. RTUP-2024 replaces the Tourism Unit Policy of 2015 to draw greater private investment into accommodation, dining, and entertainment infrastructure, with the State's stated goal of doubling the tourism economy in the next five years. The policy's stated drivers:

• •Establish a conducive ecosystem for accelerated private-sector investment, entrepreneurship, job creation, and skill development in tourism & hospitality.
• •Attract investment from leading international and national hospitality groups as well as local entrepreneurs.
• •Continue Industry Status for the sector — allowing tourism units to pay electricity charges, urban development (UD) tax, and building plan approval charges at industrial rates rather than commercial rates.
• •Leverage privately-held heritage assets by strengthening relaxations and exemptions for heritage hotels and properties.
• •Streamline the licensing procedure for hotels, restaurants, and other tourism-related establishments through time-bound approvals.

RTUP-2024 defines 25 categories of Tourism Units, each with its own minimum land area and/or investment threshold. Key categories include:

Other defined categories include Caravan, Cruise Tourism, Eco Tourism Unit, Hotel Housing, Indoor/Outdoor Play Zone, Museum/Art Gallery, Resort Housing, Ropeway, Rural Tourism Unit, Tourism Startup Unit, and Tourist Luxury Coach — each governed by its own definition under para 3.1 of the policy.

Heritage Hotel — special eligibility

A Heritage Hotel/Property must be running in a fort, fortress, palace, haveli, castle, hunting lodge, or heritage residence built prior to 1.1.1950 and certified under the Department of Tourism's Heritage Certification Guidelines (2021) or Ministry of Tourism guidelines. No minimum investment or plot-area condition applies to these properties.

Conditions applicable to all Tourism Units

• •Must follow sustainable green practices — installation of solar panels, rainwater harvesting, and solid waste management is mandatory.
• •Investment amount in each definition includes land cost, as per prevailing RIPS.
• •Expansion of an existing Tourism Unit (via at least 20% additional adjoining land) is eligible for the same benefits as a new unit, after Department of Tourism approval.

A. Stamp Duty & Conversion Charges

75% exemption and 25% reimbursement on both stamp duty and land conversion charges (as per prevailing RIPS 2024) for new Tourism Units holding an Entitlement Certificate.

B. Development Charges & Land Use Change Charges

Full exemption — not payable at all for land held by a tenant establishing a Tourism Unit, in both urban and rural areas, once Project Approval is obtained from the Department of Tourism.

C. Building Plan Approval & Electricity / UD Tax

Charged at industrial rates instead of commercial rates — building plan approval charges (on Project Approval), and electricity charges plus Urban Development Tax (on Entitlement Certificate for Industry Benefits) for operating units.

D. Built-Up Area Ratio (BAR)

Double BAR — BAR of 4 — is admissible to Hotels and Restaurants defined in this policy, without betterment levy.

E. Commercial Use Within Plinth Area

10% of plinth area or 1,000 sqm, whichever is less, is allowed for commercial use.

F. Operating Licences

G. Fiscal Benefits under Prevailing RIPS

All fiscal benefits under the prevailing Rajasthan Investment Promotion Scheme (RIPS) for 'Tourism' are available to Tourism Units, including green growth incentives and capability development / skilling & training incentives, on obtaining an Entitlement Certificate.

H. Additional Benefits — Heritage Hotels / Properties

• •Commercial use: maximum 1,000 sqm or 10% of plinth area (whichever is less) — usable for art showcases, souvenir shops, handicraft promotion, bar, and restaurants, without altering the heritage façade.
• •Patta issuance: for heritage land parcels bigger than 300 sqm in rural areas.
• •Narrow-road operation: facilitated with adequate parking arrangement.
• •Subsidised Composite Bar Licence as per prevailing Excise Policy.

I. Motor Vehicle Tax Exemption

Tourist Luxury Coaches (as defined in the policy) are exempted from motor vehicle tax.

RTUP-2024 works on a certificate / pre-requisite model rather than a single document list — each benefit names its own pre-requisite certificate and concerned department, as set out in the policy's benefit table (para 2.1).

Underlying documents typically required to obtain these certificates include: land ownership / lease documents, project report / investment details meeting the relevant unit's minimum land-area and investment thresholds, heritage certification (for heritage category claims), and — for RIPS benefits — the standard Entitlement Certificate application filed under prevailing RIPS-2024 procedures.

Project Approval of New Tourism Units

Processed by the Department of Tourism through the SSO portal, under its guidelines / rules, for all 25 categories of Tourism Units defined in para 3.1.

Project Progress Review

Progress of all approved new Tourism Unit projects is reviewed by the District Tourism Development Committee (DTDC), which supports resolution of local issues and obtaining clearances from other departments for expeditious implementation.

Registration of Tourism Units

• •Operating units that have obtained an Entitlement Certificate for Industry Benefits from the Department of Tourism are automatically treated as registered.
• •Units not eligible for that certificate, or covered under other Department of Tourism schemes / policies, are registered separately with the Department — with separate guidelines to follow.

Licence & Renewal Filing

All licences, permissions, and registrations required to start operation of a Tourism Unit, and their renewal, are applied for through the SSO portal.

Land Identification & Allotment

• •Development Authorities, UITs, Municipal Bodies, Gram Panchayats, RHB, RIICO, Revenue Department, and District Collectors identify and reserve suitable Govt. land for Tourism Units, published on their websites and the Department of Tourism website.
• •Tourism Unit projects with new investment of minimum ₹100 crore in three years may be allotted government land in identified areas.
• •Adjoining Govt. land (up to 10% of the unit's ownership land) may be allotted on agriculture / residential DLC rates — available only once per unit, for expansion purposes only.