The National Statistics Office (NSO), under the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, Government of India, recently held a significant two-day All India Workshop of Trainers (AIWOT) at the Indian School of Business in Hyderabad. The workshop, conducted from May 28 to 29, 2025, served as a vital preparatory initiative ahead of the launch of two important national-level surveys—Domestic Tourism Expenditure Survey (DTES) and the National Household Travel Survey (NHTS)—which are part of the upcoming 80th Round of the National Sample Survey (NSS), set to begin in July 2025.
Inaugurating the event, Ms. Geeta Singh Rathore, Director General (NSS), spoke passionately about the crucial role these surveys will play in informing national policy. She highlighted how the data collected will feed into the Tourism Satellite Account and the Travel & Tourism Development Index, both key to understanding and enhancing the country’s tourism and infrastructure planning. Stressing the importance of accurate and timely data, she appealed to participants to uphold the highest standards in data collection, emphasizing that such efforts directly contribute to the nation’s progress.
Ms. Sunitha Bhaskar, Additional Director General of the Field Operations Division, welcomed the participants and dignitaries with warmth and encouragement. She acknowledged the immense responsibility carried by field officers, whose careful, respectful interactions with households across India are central to the success of such surveys. Her message was clear and heartfelt—every detail collected matters, and the sensitivity with which it is gathered can shape the quality and usefulness of the data for years to come.
The workshop drew attendance from a wide spectrum of stakeholders, including Additional and Deputy Director Generals from various NSS divisions, regional and sub-regional field functionaries, representatives from the Ministry of Tourism and the Ministry of Railways, and officials from the State Directorates of Economics and Statistics. The gathering reflected a strong sense of collaboration across departments and states, all unified by a shared goal—to strengthen the foundation of evidence-based policymaking in India.
The DTES will focus on collecting detailed information on how Indian households spend on domestic overnight trips, as well as same-day journeys. These insights are vital for the Ministry of Tourism as it prepares the Tourism Satellite Account, which helps measure the economic impact of tourism in India.
The NHTS, being conducted for the first time in the country, is a dedicated survey initiated in response to the Ministry of Railways’ need for comprehensive travel data. It aims to understand when, where, how, and why people travel within the country, contributing valuable knowledge for planning transport infrastructure and services that truly serve the population’s needs.
Covering nearly the entire Indian Union—with the exception of some remote villages in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands due to accessibility issues—the surveys represent a truly national effort to gather data that touches the everyday lives of millions. These initiatives, rooted in empathy and precision, promise to bring forth insights that will help shape a more connected, responsive, and well-planned India.
