Department of Tourism, Government of Bihar

What Department of Tourism, Government of Bihar does

The Department of Tourism, Government of Bihar is a state government department under the Government of Bihar, headquartered in the Old Secretariat, Patna, that is responsible for the official promotion, regulation, and development of tourism across all 38 districts of Bihar. Its functional remit covers destination marketing, tourism circuit curation (Buddhist, Eco, Ramayan, Sikh, Jain, and Sufi circuits), stewardship of major heritage sites including the UNESCO World Heritage–listed Mahabodhi Temple and Archaeological Site of Nalanda Mahavihara, licensing of hotels and tour operators, and administration of tourism welfare schemes such as Mukhyamantri Homestay Protsahan Yojana, Sankalp Sindhu Darshan, and CM Heli-Tourism.

The department's core product surface is a digital tourism platform built around the tourism.bihar.gov.in portal, a related mobile application, and an online service portal (tourism-portal.bihar.gov.in) for hotel and travel/tour operator recognition. The platform organizes content across circuits, destinations, districts, experiences (Touch, See, Taste), events, and downloadable resources (e-brochures, maps, policy documents). Distribution extends to social channels (Facebook, Instagram, X, YouTube), contests for user-generated content, and integration with national tourism campaigns (Incredible India, Make in India). With only 17 employees in-house, execution relies heavily on partnerships, most notably the Bihar State Tourism Development Corporation (BSTDC) as the implementing arm and the Institute of Hotel Management, Bodh Gaya for human-resource pipeline.

The department does not earn commercial revenue. Pricing for its informational and promotional services to travelers is effectively zero, and the unit is funded through budgetary allocations from the Government of Bihar rather than through ticket sales or service fees. Its "customers" are visitors to Bihar — domestic cultural and spiritual tourists and international Buddhist/heritage pilgrims — addressed through marketing and information delivery rather than transactional commerce.

Name

Department of Tourism, Government of Bihar

Legal name

Department of Tourism, Government of Bihar

Website

https://tourism.bihar.gov.in

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Department of Tourism, Government of Bihar is the state government body headquartered in Patna that officially promotes tourism across Bihar's 38 districts, curates themed heritage circuits, and administers tourism schemes and hospitality licensing through its digital portal and mobile app.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Government Tourism Promotion Services

NAICS

Convention and Visitors Bureaus (561591), Historical Sites (71212)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Permitting, Reservations & Visitor Information Services (Passes, Booking, Visitor Centers) (THAAAGAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Faith-Based Group Travel (Church/Mosque/Temple) Organizers (THAKAHAH), Cultural, Heritage & Arts Travel Agencies (THAKAFAK)

Keywords

• Destination marketing
• Tourism promotion
• Heritage circuits
• Government tourism
• Pilgrimage tourism

Headquarters

HQ city

Patna

HQ country

India

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Department of Tourism, Government of Bihar promotes the state of Bihar as a tourism destination by maintaining the official Bihar Tourism portal, curating themed tourism circuits (Buddhist, Eco, Ramayan, Sikh, Jain, Sufi), publishing destination and district information, organizing events and contests, and administering regulatory recognition for hotels and travel/tour operators. It also implements government tourism schemes such as Mukhyamantri Homestay Protsahan Yojana, Sankalp Sindhu Darshan, and CM Heli-Tourism, and coordinates with the Bihar State Tourism Development Corporation (BSTDC) for on-ground execution.

Product overview

The Department of Tourism, Government of Bihar operates a unified tourism portal platform (tourism.bihar.gov.in) that serves as the primary digital interface for promoting tourism in Bihar. The platform integrates destination information, curated travel circuits (Buddhist, Eco, Ramayan, Sikh), district profiles, and experiential content (Touch, See, Taste, Stories). It also provides access to government schemes like Mukhyamantri Homestay Protsahan Yojana, Sankalp Sindhu Darshan, and CM Heli-Tourism. The portal includes an online recognition system for hotels and travel operators, downloadable resources (e-brochures, destination maps), and contest platforms. The ecosystem extends to a mobile application mentioned in the privacy policy.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Bihar Tourism Official Website Portal
• Tourism Circuits
• Hotel and Travel Operator Recognition System
• Mukhyamantri Homestay Protsahan Yojana 2026
• CM Heli-Tourism
• Sankalp Sindhu Darshan
• Contest Platform
• Bihar Tourism Branding and Marketing Policy

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Bihar State Tourism Development Corporation (BSTDC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBSTDC is the primary implementing arm for tourism development projects in Bihar. The Department of Tourism works closely with BSTDC for infrastructure development, destination management, and tourism project execution.
• Incredible IndiaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLinked through the Incredible India campaign for international tourism promotion, utilizing the national tourism brand for coordinated marketing efforts.
• Make in IndiaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAssociated initiative for promoting Bihar's tourism and hospitality infrastructure under the national Make in India campaign.
• Institute of Hotel Management, Bodh Gaya (IHM BodhGaya)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment hospitality institute providing trained tourism and hospitality professionals, supporting human resource development for Bihar's tourism sector.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Incredible India (Ministry of Tourism, Government of India): National-level tourism brand and ministry under which state tourism departments coordinate. Overlaps in destination marketing mandate and is a current partner, making it a natural broader-incumbent comparable.
• Tourism Authority of Thailand: Well-resourced national DMO in Asia known for circuit-based cultural and spiritual marketing. Comparable destination marketing function, though at substantially larger scale and budget.

Regional players

• Nepal Tourism Board: National DMO for Nepal, a regional peer heavily dependent on Buddhist and Hindu pilgrimage circuits (Lumbini, Kathmandu Valley). Comparable product mix and inbound audience, though operating in a different country.
• Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority: National tourism body for Sri Lanka, a Buddhist-heritage destination that markets circuits of religious and historical sites to international visitors. Comparable product framing and inbound target market.

Direct peers

• Kerala Tourism: Indian state tourism department considered the gold standard for state-level tourism branding and digital marketing. Comparable function and audience, with a stronger execution and brand track record.
• Rajasthan Tourism: Indian state tourism department widely regarded as a benchmark for cultural and heritage destination marketing. Comparable in circuit-based product framing and broad domestic/international targeting.
• Madhya Pradesh Tourism: Indian state tourism department marketing heritage, wildlife, and Buddhist sites (Sanchi, Khajuraho). Comparable circuit-based heritage promotion and digital marketing approach.
• UP Tourism (Department of Tourism, Government of Uttar Pradesh): Neighboring Indian state tourism department with overlapping Buddhist and religious heritage (Sarnath, Kushinagar, Ayodhya). Most directly comparable in scope, government structure, and target audience.
• West Bengal Tourism: Indian state tourism department with overlapping Buddhist circuit sites (e.g., near the Bengal-Bihar heritage belt) and similar pilgrim/eco-tourism themes. Comparable target segments and circuits.
• Tamil Nadu Tourism: Indian state tourism department with a large heritage and temple tourism portfolio, multi-circuit structure, and a mix of domestic and inbound visitors. Closely comparable operating model.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/TourismBiharGov
• YouTubeyoutube.com/tourismbihargov
• Facebookfacebook.com/TourismBiharGov
• Instagraminstagram.com/TourismBiharGov
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/department-of-tourism-government-of-bihar

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Department of Tourism, Government of Bihar