India witnessed a surge in international tourist arrivals (ITAs) in 2023, reaching 188.9 lakh and surpassing the pre-pandemic record of 179.1 lakh set in 2019, according to the Ministry of Tourism. This represents a 5.47% growth over previous levels. The recently released India Tourism Data Compendium 2024 highlights that foreign tourist arrivals (FTAs) in 2023 stood at 95.2 lakh, recovering to 87.09% of pre-pandemic figures. FTAs had peaked at 109.3 lakh in 2019 before declining due to COVID-19 but have since shown a steady revival, with provisional data indicating a further rise to 96.6 lakh in 2024. ITAs encompass all foreign passport holders visiting India, including NRIs, while FTAs refer specifically to non-residents visiting for tourism and leisure. Meanwhile, domestic tourist visits (DTVs) in 2023 totaled 25,091.3 lakh, reflecting a strong recovery in the sector.
India has strengthened its standing in global tourism, accounting for 1.45% of total international arrivals and 2.1% of global tourism receipts. It now ranks 39th in the World Economic Forum’s Travel and Tourism Development Index (TTDI) 2024. The top 10 countries contributing to ITAs include France, Spain, the US, Italy, Turkey, Mexico, the UK, Germany, Greece, and Austria. NRI arrivals saw a significant rise, reaching 93.8 lakh in 2023—an 18.9% increase from 2022 and a 34.38% growth over pre-pandemic figures. South Asia accounted for the highest share of FTAs at 29.02%, followed by North America (21.82%) and Western Europe (20.40%). The leading source markets for FTAs were Bangladesh, the US, the UK, Australia, Canada, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Germany, Nepal, and France, collectively contributing 70.06% of the total arrivals.
The Ministry of Tourism emphasized that the sector remains a key driver of economic growth and employment. As per the 3rd Tourism Satellite Account, tourism-related jobs accounted for 12.57% of total employment in India during 2022-23. Additionally, the sector contributed 5% to the country’s gross domestic product (GDP), reaffirming its importance in India’s overall economic landscape.