- India tourist arrivals grow 57 percent over ten years.
- Domestic tourist visits rise 129 percent since 2014.
- India ranks 39th in WEF Tourism Development Index 2024.
India's global share of international tourist arrivals also improved, rising from 1.15 percent in 2014 to 1.41 percent in 2024, Union Tourism Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said, citing the UN's World Tourism Barometer 2026. The report shows that the top five countries for international tourist arrivals in 2024 were France with 102 million visitors, Spain with 93.8 million, the U.S. with 72.3 million, Turkey with 60.6 million and Italy with 57.7 million.
The barometer also showed that the Americas recorded 2 percent more international arrivals this first quarter. Central America saw an 18 percent increase but South America’s arrivals declined by 1 percent.
Shekhawat shared the figures in a written response to a Lok Sabha query on Monday, according to PTI. On the domestic side, tourist visits grew from 1.28 billion in 2014 to 2.95 billion in 2024, a growth of 129.60 percent over the same period.
India also improved its position in the World Economic Forum's Travel and Tourism Development Index 2024, ranking 39th globally out of 119 countries. That is a significant jump from 65th in 2013. The country currently holds first position among SAARC nations on the index.
A recent government report identifies visa restrictions and complex regulations as major challenges for India's tourism sector. It calls for reforms to simplify approvals and make it easier to do business.
“To conduct comparative assessments and identify structural barriers, the Ministry of Tourism has undertaken a detailed analysis of the TTDI 2024 edition to identify data gaps, methodological limitations, and areas requiring policy and institutional interventions,” Shekhawat said.
Anand Rathi Investment Banking report forecasts 7 percent annual growth for India's travel and tourism sector through 2035. It highlights domestic demand, infrastructure development and younger travelers as supporting factors.
