Approximately 99 million foreign tourists traveled to India in the year 2024, while roughly 30 million Indians went abroad during the same period, according to the government's report to Rajya Sabha.
India witnessed a significant surge in foreign tourist arrivals (FTAs) in 2024, with approximately 99.5 lakh (9.95 million) visitors, according to data released by the Ministry of Tourism. This figure marks a substantial increase from the 64.4 lakh FTAs recorded in 2022 and indicates a steady growth beyond 2023 levels, though still slightly below the pre-pandemic peak of 1.09 crore (10.93 million) in 2019.
The United States emerged as the top source country for FTAs in 2024, with 18.04 lakh (1.8 million) American tourists visiting India. Bangladesh followed closely with 17.5 lakh (1.75 million) visitors, while the United Kingdom ranked third with 10.2 lakh (1.02 million) tourists. Other notable contributors included Australia, Canada, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Germany, France, Singapore, and Japan.
The Government of India has recognised international tourism as a key contributor to economic growth, employment generation, and enhancing India's global profile. In response, various measures have been implemented to capitalise on this sector. These include participating in overseas tourism trade fairs and exhibitions, organising Tourism Roadshows, engaging with local tour operators, and India tourism publicity campaigns through social media.
To facilitate easier entry for international travelers, e-visa and visa-on-arrival facilities have been simplified and expanded. Additionally, infrastructure upgrades at airports and tourist destinations have been undertaken to improve the traveler experience. Health and safety protocols have also been implemented post-COVID to boost traveler confidence.
These efforts, combined with the global easing of travel restrictions, have contributed to the sustained rebound in foreign tourist arrivals to India in 2024. It is worth noting that over 3 crore Indians also traveled abroad in 2024.
The Government of India is actively supporting the participation of Central and State Governments, tourism boards, and industry stakeholders in international tourism-related events. Kirti Vardhan Singh, MoS External Affairs, spoke about India's potential for international tourism in the Lok Sabha on July 25.
Data on the number of Indian nationals visiting the UAE and Saudi Arabia in 2024 was not provided, but more than 77 lakh Indian nationals visited the UAE alone. More comprehensive data on foreign tourist arrivals and Indian travelers abroad may be released in future reports.
[1] Ministry of Tourism, Government of India [2] Bureau of Immigration, Government of India [3] World Travel and Tourism Council [4] Unspecified source (broad data sets may vary by source) [5] Unspecified source (confirms strong recovery trend)
Travelers from the United States, United Kingdom, Bangladesh, Australia, Canada, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Germany, France, Singapore, and Japan contributed to India's thriving lifestyle sector in 2024, as the country saw a noteworthy increase in foreign tourist arrivals (FTAs), reaching approximately 99.5 lakh (9.95 million).
To further encourage travel, the Government of India has taken various measures, like participating in international tourism events, improving infrastructure at airports and tourist destinations, and implementing health and safety protocols, aiming to boost traveler confidence and capitalize on this growing industry.
