In a country grappling with rising pollution levels, shrinking green cover, and mounting climate stress, clean air has quietly emerged as one of India’s most sought-after luxuries. For travellers increasingly
conscious of wellness and environmental impact, the quality of the air they breathe is no longer incidental, but it is central to the travel experience. This shift is forcing the hospitality industry to rethink its role, moving beyond surface-level sustainability toward deeper, regenerative practices that actively improve air quality, protect ecosystems, and support long-term wellbeing. Green hospitality, once a niche ideal, is now a necessity shaped by health, responsibility, and evolving traveller expectations.
Why Green Hospitality Can No Longer Wait
“Green hospitality is no longer optional. It is a pressing necessity in today’s India,” says Jyoti Mayal, Chairperson, Tourism & Hospitality & Skill Council, underscoring how deteriorating air quality directly affects public health, tourism, and workforce wellbeing. As the sector expands, she notes, hotels and tourism establishments must take greater responsibility by adopting sustainable design, cleaner energy, improved ventilation, and reduced emissions across daily operations.
She emphasises that better air quality index readings are not just an environmental outcome but a business imperative. “Today’s travellers are increasingly conscious of environmental impact and actively prefer responsible brands,” she adds, positioning green hospitality as both a social responsibility and a competitive advantage.
Clean Air Starts With Everyday Operations
For properties rooted in natural landscapes, sustainability must extend beyond intent into action. Sukhvinder Singh Sudan, Founder, Rajmaan Singh Eco Resorts, Sirmaur, points out that green hospitality should be “woven into daily operations rather than treated as a marketing checklist.”
From sourcing organic produce grown on-site or procured from nearby villages to supporting local dairy and poultry farmers, such choices reduce carbon-heavy supply chains while strengthening community ties. “Responsible water management and thoughtful waste practices may seem small individually, but their consistent implementation significantly reduces environmental stress,” he explains.
Tree plantation and preserving existing green cover play a critical role in improving AQI, particularly when compared to densely populated urban centres. “The difference in air quality is often immediately noticeable to visitors,” Sudan says, highlighting the powerful link between green spaces and respiratory wellbeing.
Designing For Breath, Balance, And Biophilia
Taking the conversation deeper, Maulik Bhagat, Founder, Woods At Sasan, Gir, argues that India must move beyond sustainability toward regeneration. “Green hospitality and improved air quality are no longer lifestyle preferences. They are urgent public and ecological necessities,” he says, especially in the face of unchecked urbanisation and climate anxiety.
Bhagat advocates for biophilic design – architecture that builds with nature rather than against it. Natural airflow, dense native planting, water bodies, and breathable structures reduce dependence on mechanical cooling while improving microclimates and oxygen levels. “The goal is not to decorate with greenery, but to make cleaner air and wellbeing lived experiences,” he notes.
Drawing from ecotherapy and forest-bathing traditions, he adds that slowing down in nature has measurable mental and physical health benefits – particularly in a country where pollution-related stress and respiratory concerns are on the rise.
The well-being impact is equally significant. Drawing from ecotherapy and forest-bathing traditions, Bhagat notes, “When people slow down in nature, breath deepens, pollution-stressed senses recover, and the body recalibrates.” In a country facing rising respiratory and stress-related health concerns, access to clean, oxygen-rich environments becomes a form of everyday healing.
As India’s travel landscape evolves, green hospitality with better AQI is no longer a differentiator. It is the baseline for responsible tourism. From regenerative design and community-led sourcing to cleaner air and conscious skilling, the future of Indian hospitality lies in experiences that restore rather than extract. In an era where travellers seek wellness, meaning, and mindful escapes, the promise of clean air may well become the country’s most powerful invitation.
