India’s tourism industry has witnessed remarkable growth, attracting billions of domestic travelers and millions of international visitors each year. With a 1.5% share in global tourism, India ranks as the 18th most visited country in the world.
Domestic tourism is booming, with Uttar Pradesh leading as the top destination, while international arrivals continue to recover post-pandemic. This report breaks down key tourism statistics, trends, and visitor demographics shaping India’s travel landscape.
India Tourism Statistics (Top Picks)
- India has 2.51 billion domestic tourists and 18.9 million international tourist arrivals in a year.
- India has a 1.5% share in global tourism and stands as the 18th most visited nation.
- 56.9% of International Tourist Arrivals (ITAs) in India cite “Indian diaspora” as their reason for travel.
- Uttar Pradesh is the most visited state by indian Domestic travelers.
Number of Domestic Tourists in India Over The Years
As per the latest available data from India’s Ministry of Tourism, the country had 2.51 billion domestic tourists in 2023, a 44.98% increase from the previous year.
Here is a table showing the number of domestic tourists in India.
| Year | Number of India’s Dometic Tourists |
| 2020 | 0.61 billion |
| 2021 | 0.68 billion |
| 2022 | 1.73 billion |
| 2023 | 2.51 billion |
Source: India’s Official Tourism Data Report.
Number of Domestic Tourists in India by State
Uttar Pradesh is the most visited state by domestic travelers in India and gets around 478.53 million yearly visitors, while Nagalnd is the least visited accoubtiong for 0.10 million yearly visitors.
Here is a table showing the number of domestic tourists in each state of India.
| Sl. No. | States/UTs | Domestic Tourist Arrivals |
| 1 | Andaman & Nicobar Islands | 0.32 |
| 2 | Andhra Pradesh | 254.71 |
| 3 | Arunachal Pradesh | 1.04 |
| 4 | Assam | 7.61 |
| 5 | Bihar | 81.86 |
| 6 | Chandigarh | 0.37 |
| 7 | Chhattisgarh | 26.02 |
| 8 | Dadra & Nagar Haveli & Daman and Diu | 1 |
| 9 | Delhi | 39.41 |
| 10 | Goa | 0.82 |
| 11 | Gujarat | 178.07 |
| 12 | Haryana | 2.01 |
| 13 | Himachal Pradesh | 15.94 |
| 14 | Jammu & Kashmir | 20.68 |
| 15 | Jharkhand | 35.77 |
| 16 | Karnataka | 284.12 |
| 17 | Kerala | 21.87 |
| 18 | Lakshadweep | 0.05 |
| 19 | Ladakh | 0.76 |
| 20 | Madhya Pradesh | 111.95 |
| 21 | Maharashtra | 161.36 |
| 22 | Manipur | 0.06 |
| 23 | Meghalaya | 1.37 |
| 24 | Mizoram | 0.21 |
| 25 | Nagaland | 0.1 |
| 26 | Odisha | 9.73 |
| 27 | Puducherry | 0.21 |
| 28 | Punjab | 35.71 |
| 29 | Rajasthan | 179.05 |
| 30 | Sikkim | 1.33 |
| 31 | Tamil Nadu | 132.16 |
| 32 | Telangana | 58.45 |
| 33 | Tripura | 0.37 |
| 34 | Uttar Pradesh | 478.53 |
Source: India official Tourism Databse.
Number of International Tourists Visiting India Over The Years
As per the latest reports from India’s Ministry of tourism, the country had 18.9 million International tourists in 2023. And the expected number for 2024 was 23.5 million.
India’s international tourism sector has experienced significant fluctuations over recent years, especially after the pandemic. In 2018, the country welcomed 17.4 million foreign tourists, a number that slightly increased to 17.9 million in 2019.
However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions, this number was reduced to 6.3 million in 2020 and remained stable at 7 million in 2021.
As the world adapted to new norms and travel restrictions eased, India saw a resurgence in tourism, recording 14.3 million foreign tourist arrivals in 2022. This upward trend continued into 2023, with provisional figures indicating 18.9 million arrivals by October.
Let’s take a look at the number of international tourists arriving in India over the years:
| Year | Number of international tourists arriving in India |
| 2018 | 17.4 million |
| 2019 | 17.9 million |
| 2020 | 6.3 million |
| 2021 | 7.0 million |
| 2022 | 14.3 million |
| 2023 | 18.9 million |
| 2024* | 23.5 million |
Source: India’s Tourism Ministry Report.
India’s Share in Global Tourism
India’s share in global tourism has seen fluctuations over the years, influenced by factors like the pandemic, economic recovery, and changing travel trends. In 2023, India welcomed 18.9 million international tourists, maintaining a 1.5% share of the global tourism market. This marks a strong recovery from 14.3 million in 2022, which had already seen a 104.3% surge compared to the previous year.
Before the pandemic, India’s share in world tourism hovered around 1.2%, with 17.4 million arrivals in 2018 and 17.9 million in 2019. However, in 2020, global travel restrictions led to a sharp decline, with arrivals dropping to 6.3 million, though the share briefly increased to 1.6%. As tourism rebounded, India’s ranking fluctuated, moving from 24th place in 2019 to 17th in 2022.
With global travel trends favoring emerging markets, India’s tourism sector is expected to continue growing, with international arrivals projected to reach 23.5 million in 2024. If this trend continues, India’s share in world tourism could further strengthen in the coming years.
Source: India’s Tourism Ministry Report.
India Is The 18th Most Visited Country In The World
India welcomed 18.9 million International tourists in 2023 and stood in the 18th position globally in terms of tourist visits.
France takes the top spot with 100 million ITAs. Spain and the US took the second and third positions with 85.2 million and 66.5 million ITAs, respectively.
With a 1.5% share in global tourism, India’s tourism industry is slowly and steadily heading towards a higher market share.
Source: India’s Tourism Ministry Report.
Top Source Countries For Foreign Tourists Arriving In India
22.3% of International tourists coming to India are from Bangladesh, which is equivalent to 22.2 lakh yearly tourists. ITAs from the United States of America account for 17.8% (16.91 lakh tourists). ITAs from the United Kingdom make up 9.5% of ITAs in India.
Here is a table showing the top 15 source countries for International Tourist Arrivals in India.
| Rank | Country | FTAs in India in 2023 | % Share in 2023 |
| 1 | Bangladesh | 21,19,826 | 22.30% |
| 2 | United States of America | 16,91,498 | 17.80% |
| 3 | United Kingdom | 9,20,591 | 9.70% |
| 4 | Australia | 4,56,167 | 4.80% |
| 5 | Canada | 3,85,938 | 4.10% |
| 6 | Sri Lanka | 2,80,327 | 2.90% |
| 7 | Malaysia | 2,62,458 | 2.80% |
| 8 | Germany | 2,23,575 | 2.30% |
| 9 | Nepal | 1,95,445 | 2.10% |
| 10 | France | 1,88,981 | 2.00% |
| 11 | Singapore | 1,83,772 | 1.90% |
| 12 | Russian Federation | 1,64,125 | 1.70% |
| 13 | Japan | 1,50,521 | 1.60% |
| 14 | Thailand | 1,16,060 | 1.20% |
| 15 | Italy | 1,16,031 | 1.20% |
Source: India’s Tourism Ministry Report.
Reasons For International Tourists Visiting India
56.9% of International Tourist Arrivals (ITAs) in India cite “Indian diaspora” as their reason for travel, which means that more than half of foreign visitors to India are people of Indian descent returning for purposes like visiting family and relatives, attending cultural or religious events, exploring their ancestral roots or medical treatments or business trips.
33.8% of ITAs cite “Leisure Holiday” as their reason for visit while 6.3% of ITAs arrive in India for a Business trip.
Source: India’s Tourism Ministry Report.
Demographics of Internal Tourists Arriving in India
53.4% of internal Tourists Arriving in India are males, while 46.6% are females.
People aged 45 to 54 make up 22.5% of ITAs. People aged 1 to 14 years make up 20.3%, these are the kids coming along with their parents on a trip.
Here is a table showing the age group of international tourists arriving in India.
| Age group | Share of ITAs |
| 0 to 14 | 20.3% |
| 45 to 54 | 22.5% |
| 55 to 64 | 15.3% |
| Others | 42% |
Preferred Mode of Transport for Arriving in India for Foreign Tourists
Most tourists (79.4%) arrive by air, followed by land (20.1%) and sea (0.5%). In comparison, 2022 saw 83.5% of arrivals by air, 16.2% by land, and 0.3% by sea.
Tourists entering India by land mainly came from Bangladesh and Pakistan. Air travel has consistently been the most popular choice, with over 79% of FTAs arriving by air each year. Land routes have accounted for more than 10% of arrivals from 2014 to 2023, while sea travel has remained below 1% since 2011, except in 2020, when it briefly rose to 1.5%.
Source: India’s Tourism Ministry Report.
Additional India Tourism Statistics
- The Union Budget 2025-26 has allocated ₹2541.06 crore to enhance infrastructure, skill development, and travel facilitation.
- Medical tourism and wellness retreats attract 21% of international visitors by offering top-quality healthcare and traditional healing therapies.
- India’s travel market is expected to grow from $75 billion in FY20 to $125 billion by FY27.
- Travel and tourism are major industries in India, contributing $199.6 billion to the country’s GDP.
- India is estimated to have around 165k hotel rooms, which are estimated to reach 200k by 2027.
