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India has positioned itself prominently within the global tourism landscape. The country currently accounts for 1.40% of total international tourist arrivals and 2.02% of global tourism receipts, underlining its growing relevance in international travel flows. In 2024, India’s Foreign Exchange Earnings (FEEs) from tourism reached US$ 35.016 billion, registering a growth of 8.78% over US$ 32.189 billion in 2023. This performance reflects not only a post-pandemic recovery but also the strengthening structural foundations of India’s tourism ecosystem.

According to the World Economic Forum’s biennial Travel and Tourism Development Index (TTDI) 2024, India is ranked 39th globally, reflecting the tourism sector’s post-pandemic recovery and overall performance. Notably, India is among the few countries to rank within the top 10 across all major resource pillars, including 6th in Natural Resources, 9th in Cultural Resources, and 9th in Non-Leisure Resources. Complementing these inherent strengths is India’s strong price competitiveness (18th) and continued improvement in tourism-related infrastructure, particularly Air Transport Infrastructure (26th) and Ground and Port Infrastructure (25th). These gains have been underpinned by significant government investments, including the operationalisation of 517 new air routes, development of 157 airports, and expansion of the national road network by approximately 145,000 kilometres, substantially improving accessibility to both established and emerging destinations.

Inbound Tourism: Recovery Supported by Connectivity and Experience Upgrades

India’s inbound tourism has demonstrated a robust recovery trajectory, supported by improved connectivity, upgraded destination infrastructure, and enhanced visitor experiences. International Tourist Arrivals (ITAs) reached 20.57 million, reflecting an 8.89% increase over the previous year and a 14.82% rise compared to 2019. Over the long term, Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTAs) have grown steadily from 1.28 million in 1981 to 10.93 million in 2019, crossing key milestones in 2011 (6.31 million) and 2017 (10.04 million). The COVID-19 pandemic led to a sharp contraction in 2020, with FTAs declining by 74.93% to 2.74 million. However, the recovery phase has been pronounced, with FTAs rebounding to 6.44 million in 2022 (a 323.68% increase) and further rising to 9.95 million in 2024, marking a 4.52% growth over 2023.

Arrivals of Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) reached 10.62 million in 2024, representing a 13.22% increase over 2023 and a 52.15% rise compared to pre-pandemic levels in 2019. This strong resurgence reflects growing confidence among the Indian diaspora, driven by improved travel infrastructure, better urban amenities, and the availability of high-quality spiritual, cultural, and leisure experiences across the country.

Region-wise analysis for 2024 indicates that Asia and the Pacific accounted for the largest share of FTAs at 43.00%, followed by Europe (26.70%) and North America (23.10%). Additional contributions came from Southeast Asia (8.71%), Oceania (6.10%), Sub-Saharan Africa (3.11%), Central and Eastern Europe (3.86%), the Middle East (2.97%), and North-East Asia (3.98%), highlighting India’s broad-based appeal across international markets. The top 10 source countries in 2024: the United States, Bangladesh, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Germany, France, and Singapore together accounted for 68.64% of total FTAs, indicating both market concentration and strong repeat visitation from key geographies.

Domestic Tourism in India

India recorded 2,948.19 million domestic tourist visits in 2024, registering a 17.51% increase over 2,508.82 million visits in 2023, highlighting the strong momentum in domestic travel demand across the country. At the state level, Uttar Pradesh emerged as the leading destination with 646.81 million domestic tourist visits, followed by Tamil Nadu with 306.84 million visits, reflecting sustained demand driven by religious, cultural, and heritage tourism circuits.

Domestic tourist footfall at Centrally Protected Ticketed Monuments also remained robust. The Taj Mahal recorded the highest number of domestic visitors at 6.26 million during FY 2024–25. Other major attractions included the Sun Temple, Konark, which received 3.57 million domestic visitors, and the Qutub Minar, with 3.20 million visits, underscoring continued interest in India’s heritage assets among domestic travellers.

The Road Ahead

India’s tourism sector is set for sustained growth in the coming years, supported by focused infrastructure development and policy interventions under the Union Budget 2025–26. With tourism contributing 5 per cent to GDP in FY23 and generating employment for 7.6 crore people, the sector is being positioned as a key driver of employment-led economic growth. The budgetary allocation of Rs. 2,541.06 crore (US$ 286 million) for infrastructure augmentation, skill development and travel facilitation reflects the Government’s long-term commitment to strengthening the tourism ecosystem.

A major pillar of future tourism growth will be the development of 50 top tourist destinations in partnership with States through a challenge mode. This initiative aims to improve connectivity, ease of travel and visitor amenities while enabling the creation of globally competitive destinations. The inclusion of hotels under the Infrastructure Harmonized Master List is expected to attract private investment in hospitality infrastructure, supported further by interest-free loans of Rs. 3,295.8 crore (US$ 370 million) under the Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment for tourism-related projects across States.

Sustainable destination development will be reinforced through the continued implementation of Swadesh Darshan Scheme 2.0, under which 34 projects have already been approved with a total funding of Rs. 793.2 crore (US$ 89 million). These initiatives focus on responsible tourism, infrastructure creation and local employment generation. In parallel, the allocation of Rs. 60 crore (US$ 6.74 million) for skill development in FY26 will support intensive training programmes for youth, including in Institutes of Hospitality Management, strengthening service quality and workforce readiness.

Infrastructure-led interventions will also drive growth in spiritual and heritage tourism. Continued investments under the PRASHAD scheme will enhance facilities and accessibility at major pilgrimage and heritage sites, with special emphasis on destinations associated with the life and teachings of Lord Buddha. These efforts are expected to strengthen India’s position as a global cultural and spiritual tourism hub while supporting regional economic development.

Medical tourism is expected to emerge as a high-growth segment under the “Heal in India” initiative, promoted in partnership with the private sector. Supported by world-class healthcare infrastructure and streamlined medical visa facilitation, India’s Medical Value Travel market, valued at USD 2.89 billion in 2020, is projected to reach USD 13.42 billion by 2026, further strengthening tourism-linked foreign exchange earnings.

Additionally, the Gyan Bharatam Mission will complement physical infrastructure development through documentation and conservation of over one crore manuscripts and the creation of a National Digital Repository of Indian knowledge systems. Together with rising international tourist arrivals, foreign exchange earnings of USD 28 billion in 2023 and India’s improved global standing in tourism receipts, these infrastructure-driven initiatives are expected to shape the future growth, competitiveness and sustainability of India’s tourism sector under the leadership of the Government of India.