Foreign tourist arrivals remain below pre-pandemic levels, with 2025 off to a slower start
Concentrated visitor patterns show India’s tourism recovery is uneven and limited to classic circuits
Budget cuts to overseas promotion have weakened India’s visibility in global markets
Reduced MDA funding risks slowing demand just as interest from key regions begins to rise
Persistent bottlenecks — slow evisa processing, limited visa-on-arrival access, and inadequate international connectivity — continue to constrain inbound tourism growth
Despite fewer arrivals, spending by international tourists hit a record ₹3.1 trillion. WTTC projects tourism could contribute ₹42 trillion to GDP and 64 million jobs by 2035
Weak last-mile connectivity, poor sanitation, limited multilingual support, and inadequate quality lodging hinder India’s ability to compete as a global tourism destination
Reviving global marketing, accelerating visa reforms, & improving air links to tier-II cities
are essential to broaden growth, raise per-tourist spending, and unlock tourism’s full potential