BOOSTING IN INDIA’S IMAGE AMONG FOREIGN TOURISTS

Ministry of Tourism

BOOSTING IN INDIA’S IMAGE AMONG FOREIGN TOURISTS

Posted On: 16 MAR 2026 3:42PM by PIB Delhi

The Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTAs) in India during the last five years has been showing an overall increasing trend. There is a corresponding increase in contribution of the tourism sector in country’s GDP. Year-wise details of FTA and Tourism GDP are Annexed.

The Bureau of Immigration captures and provides the information on foreign tourist arrivals to the Ministry of Tourism at the national level. Regional or State level bifurcation of this figure is not available.

However, the Ministry of Tourism compiles the data on Foreign Tourist Visits to different States/UTs through the data supplied by the Sates and Union Territories. As per the 2024 data, the following five states have reported the highest number of Foreign Tourist Visits:

1.       Maharashtra

2.       West Bengal

3.       Uttar Pradesh

4.       Gujarat

5.       Rajasthan

The Ministry of Tourism engages with several international organizations such as UNWTO, ASEAN, G20, BRICS, and PATA to enhance global ties and shape tourism policies. Currently, there are 46 valid Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) in place for bilateral and multilateral cooperation in the field of tourism.

Ministry of Tourism promotes various tourist destinations and products of the country including lesser-known destinations in domestic and international markets through its various promotional initiatives such as website, social media promotions, participation in events, assistance to State Governments for organizing fairs and festivals, etc.

The Ministry of Tourism regularly participates in major International Travel Fairs and Exhibitions such as World Travel Mart (WTM) in London, FITUR in Madrid, and ITB Berlin to showcase India’s varied tourism products, including niche segments like wellness and adventure.

These events reinforce the “Incredible India” brand, enhance global visibility, and facilitate B2B meetings with foreign tour operators and stakeholders to boost inbound tourism.

ANNEXURE:

Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTAs) in India from 2020 to 2024:

Source: Bureau of Immigration

Tourism GDP (direct and indirect) in Rs Lakhs and Percentage share in country’s GDP:

This information was given by Union Minister for Culture and Tourism Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat in a written reply in Lok Sabha today.

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M Annadurai

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