Explore India and world tourism statistics 2026, top states, foreign tourist arrivals, source markets and global tourism trends shaping the outlook for 2026.
India’s tourism industry is supported by a rapidly expanding domestic market, while the global tourism sector faces slower growth and fresh uncertainties in 2026. Explore the latest available Indian tourism statistics, leading states, major source markets and the global tourism outlook.
Introduction
Tourism is an important contributor to economic activity, employment, cultural exchange and regional development. From India’s heritage monuments and pilgrimage destinations to the world’s leading international tourism hubs, travel continues to influence how countries develop their economies and connect with one another.
However, tourism growth is not uniform across destinations. Some countries and regions are experiencing strong demand, while others face challenges related to geopolitical tensions, transport costs, inflation and changing traveller preferences.
India’s India Tourism Data Compendium 2025 provides a detailed picture of the country’s tourism performance in 2024. Meanwhile, the global tourism update supplied for the first half of 2026 indicates that international travel growth has slowed considerably. India and world tourism statistics 2026
An important distinction: India’s statistics discussed below primarily refer to calendar year 2024, as reported in the 2025 compendium. The international tourism outlook refers to the first half of 2026 and the forecast for the full year. These figures should not be treated as equivalent reporting periods.
1. India Tourism Statistics: Key Figures
India’s tourism sector recorded substantial activity in 2024, driven particularly by domestic travel and arrivals from Non-Resident Indians (NRIs).
The following figures are reported in the Ministry of Tourism’s India Tourism Data Compendium 2025.
| Tourism indicator | Reported figure | Change or significance |
|---|---|---|
| Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTAs) | 9.95 million | Increased by 4.52% over 2023 |
| NRI arrivals | 10.62 million | Increased by 13.22% over 2023 |
| Total International Tourist Arrivals (ITAs) | 20.57 million | Increased by 8.89% over 2023 |
| Domestic tourist visits | 2,948.19 million | Increased by 17.51% over 2023 |
| Foreign tourist visits to states and Union Territories | 20.94 million | Increased by 8.84% over 2023 |
| Tourism foreign-exchange earnings | US$35.016 billion | Increased by 8.78% in US-dollar terms |
| Indian nationals’ departures abroad | 30.89 million | Increased by 10.79% over 2023 |
Source: India Tourism Data Compendium 2025. Figures refer to 2024 unless otherwise indicated.
These numbers demonstrate the scale of India’s domestic tourism market and the importance of diaspora-linked travel. However, each indicator measures a different aspect of tourism.
Foreign Tourist Arrivals count arrivals of foreign nationals, whereas International Tourist Arrivals in this report combine foreign-national arrivals with NRI arrivals. Domestic tourist visits count visits rather than unique individuals, meaning that one traveller may contribute multiple visits.
This distinction is essential when comparing tourism performance across states or countries.
2. Domestic Tourism in India: Which States Attract the Most Visits?
Domestic tourism represents a major component of India’s tourism economy. The 2024 data show that a relatively small group of states accounted for a substantial proportion of reported domestic tourist visits.
Top 10 Indian states by domestic tourist visits
| Rank | State | Tourist visits (million) | Visits (crore) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Uttar Pradesh | 646.81 | 64.68 |
| 2 | Tamil Nadu | 306.84 | 30.68 |
| 3 | Karnataka | 304.56 | 30.46 |
| 4 | Andhra Pradesh | 290.27 | 29.03 |
| 5 | Rajasthan | 230.08 | 23.01 |
| 6 | Maharashtra | 189.37 | 18.94 |
| 7 | West Bengal | 184.48 | 18.45 |
| 8 | Gujarat | 184.01 | 18.40 |
| 9 | Madhya Pradesh | 133.18 | 13.32 |
| 10 | Telangana | 88.24 | 8.82 |
Source: India Tourism Data Compendium 2025, domestic and foreign tourist visits table. Figures rounded for presentation.
Why does Uttar Pradesh lead domestic tourism?
Uttar Pradesh recorded approximately 64.68 crore domestic tourist visits in 2024, considerably more than any other state in the reported ranking.
The state’s extensive pilgrimage network, religious destinations, historical attractions and cultural heritage contribute to its importance in India’s tourism landscape. Its reported domestic tourist visits also increased by 35.17% compared with 2023.
Rajasthan recorded growth of 28.50%, while Tamil Nadu and Karnataka reported increases of 7.28% and 7.20%, respectively.
These differences show that tourism growth varies significantly between states. Destination appeal, religious travel, accessibility, events and regional travel patterns may all be relevant to understanding the differences, although the visit figures alone do not establish the causes.
The five leading states accounted for approximately 60.38% of reported domestic tourist visits in 2024.
3. Which Indian States Attract the Most Foreign Tourist Visits?
The ranking changes when the focus shifts from domestic tourism to foreign tourist visits.
Top five states by foreign tourist visits
| Rank | State | Foreign tourist visits (million) | Share of national total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maharashtra | 3.705 | 17.69% |
| 2 | West Bengal | 3.124 | 14.92% |
| 3 | Gujarat | 2.274 | 10.86% |
| 4 | Uttar Pradesh | 2.269 | 10.83% |
| 5 | Rajasthan | 2.072 | 9.90% |
Source: India Tourism Data Compendium 2025, figures for 2024.
Maharashtra ranked first in foreign tourist visits, followed by West Bengal and Gujarat. Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan also featured among the leading destinations.
This differs from the domestic ranking, where Uttar Pradesh occupied the top position.
The comparison illustrates an important point: the states attracting the greatest number of domestic visits are not necessarily the states attracting the greatest number of foreign tourist visits.
Foreign tourist visits should also not be confused with international arrivals at India’s borders. A foreign visitor may travel to several states during the same trip and contribute to more than one state’s visit total.
4. Where Do International Visitors to India Come From?
Understanding source markets is important for tourism planning, destination marketing and international connectivity.
According to the 2024 data in the compendium, the United States, Bangladesh and the United Kingdom were India’s three leading foreign source markets.
Top five source markets for foreign tourist arrivals
| Rank | Country | Arrivals (million) | Share of foreign tourist arrivals |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United States | 1.805 | 18.13% |
| 2 | Bangladesh | 1.750 | 17.59% |
| 3 | United Kingdom | 1.023 | 10.28% |
| 4 | Australia | 0.518 | 5.21% |
| 5 | Canada | 0.476 | 4.79% |
Source: India Tourism Data Compendium 2025, figures for 2024.
These markets demonstrate the importance of both neighbouring countries and long-haul markets in India’s inbound tourism sector.
The report also shows that recovery has differed across countries. Arrivals from Bangladesh declined from approximately 2.58 million in 2019 to 1.75 million in 2024. Arrivals from China declined from approximately 339,000 to 39,000 over the same period.
By contrast, arrivals from the United States were 19.35% above their 2019 level, while Australia was 41.11% above and Canada was 35.36% above.
This means that India’s foreign tourism recovery has not been uniform. Some important source markets have surpassed their pre-pandemic levels, while others remain below them.
5. Why Are International Visitors Travelling to India?
International arrivals include more than leisure tourists. People travel to India for holidays, family connections, business, medical treatment and other purposes.
The compendium reports the following distribution of foreign arrivals by purpose:
| Purpose of visit | Share |
|---|---|
| Leisure, holiday and recreation | 45.00% |
| Indian diaspora/OCI-related visits | 28.49% |
| Business and professional travel | 10.52% |
| Medical travel | 6.48% |
Source: India Tourism Data Compendium 2025.
Leisure travel represents the largest category among the purposes listed. Diaspora and OCI-related visits also constitute a substantial share.
Medical tourism and business travel are additional components of India’s inbound travel market.
These figures highlight why tourism planning should account for different traveller needs. Leisure visitors may be interested in heritage circuits, wildlife, beaches and cultural experiences. Business travellers may require conference facilities and convenient transport, while medical travellers may need accommodation, treatment-related services and longer stays.
The categories should not be interpreted as covering every possible purpose of travel, and the OCI-related share of foreign-national arrivals is distinct from the separately reported count of NRI arrivals.
6. India’s Tourism Earnings and International Outbound Travel
Tourism earnings provide another perspective on industry performance.
India recorded tourism foreign-exchange earnings of approximately US$35.016 billion, equivalent to ₹2,93,033 crore, in 2024. The report places this approximately 14% above the 2019 level in nominal US-dollar terms.
However, earnings growth should be interpreted carefully. Nominal revenue does not account for inflation, exchange-rate effects or changes in the composition of visitors. It also does not establish that individual leisure travellers spent more.
India is also a major outbound travel market. Indian nationals recorded 30.89 million departures abroad in 2024.
The leading destinations included the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, the United States, Thailand and Singapore.
These departures include travel for multiple purposes, not only holidays. Nevertheless, the figures illustrate India’s importance in international mobility and the potential significance of Indian travellers to destination countries.
7. World Tourism Statistics 2026: Global Travel Loses Momentum
While India’s 2024 data show strong domestic tourism growth, the global tourism update supplied for the first half of 2026 presents a more cautious picture.
According to that update, international tourist arrivals worldwide reached approximately 690 million in the first half of 2026.
This represented growth of just 0.4% compared with the first half of 2025.
Global international tourist arrivals: Regional performance
| Region | Reported change in H1 2026 |
|---|---|
| Africa | +4% |
| Europe | +3% |
| Americas | +2% |
| Asia and the Pacific | +1% |
| Middle East | −22% |
Source: UN Tourism update supplied for this analysis. Figures have not been independently verified against the original publication.
Africa recorded the strongest growth among the regions listed, followed by Europe and the Americas. Asia and the Pacific registered more modest growth, while the Middle East experienced a substantial decline.
These figures indicate that the global tourism industry is facing different conditions across regions rather than experiencing a uniform trend.
Why did global tourism growth slow in 2026?
The supplied update identifies several pressures affecting international travel:
- Geopolitical tensions and conflict in the Middle East.
- Disruptions to air routes and international connectivity.
- Volatile oil prices and higher transport costs.
- Inflation affecting travel budgets.
- Rising accommodation and travel expenses.
- Differences in the timing of Easter and other seasonal travel patterns.
The reported global performance also changed between quarters. International arrivals grew by approximately 2% in the first quarter of 2026, but declined by 1% in the second quarter compared with the corresponding period of 2025.
The contrast between these quarters helps explain why the full first-half growth rate was limited to 0.4%.
However, individual declines should not automatically be attributed to geopolitical events. Seasonal effects, economic conditions and changes in travel patterns may also influence results.
8. UN Tourism Revises Its Global Tourism Forecast for 2026
The supplied update reports a reduction in the full-year international tourism growth forecast.
| Forecast indicator | Reported growth forecast |
|---|---|
| Earlier forecast for 2026 | +3% to +4% |
| Revised forecast for 2026 | +1% to +2% |
The revision indicates that the global tourism industry is expected to grow more slowly than previously anticipated.
Nevertheless, the forecast remains positive. Slower growth does not necessarily mean that international arrivals will decline for the year as a whole.
The update also reports the following expectations for September to December 2026:
| Expert outlook | Share of respondents |
|---|---|
| Better or much better performance | 45% |
| Similar performance | 34% |
| Worse or much worse performance | 21% |
The reported confidence score was 113, above the neutral level of 100.
These indicators suggest that many tourism experts still expect conditions to improve or remain stable during the final months of the year. However, uncertainty remains, and the survey outlook should not be treated as a guarantee of future growth.
Note: The global forecast and confidence figures above are drawn from the supplied update and should be checked against the original UN Tourism publication before final publication.
9. What Do the Indian and Global Tourism Statistics Tell Us?
When the Indian tourism data and the global 2026 outlook are considered together, several important observations emerge.
1. Domestic tourism is a major strength for India
India recorded approximately 294.82 crore domestic tourist visits in 2024, up 17.51% from 2023.
This demonstrates the scale of the domestic tourism market. However, visit counts should not be treated as unique travellers, and they do not independently measure tourism revenue or overnight stays.
2. India’s inbound tourism recovery remains uneven
Total international tourist arrivals, including NRI arrivals, reached 20.57 million in 2024, exceeding the 2019 level. Foreign Tourist Arrivals alone, however, remained 8.95% below 2019.
The difference highlights the importance of diaspora-linked travel and the uneven recovery of individual foreign source markets.
3. Domestic and foreign tourism have different geographic patterns
Uttar Pradesh led domestic tourist visits, whereas Maharashtra led foreign tourist visits.
This difference shows why state-level tourism strategies should consider their specific visitor markets instead of relying on a single national ranking.
4. International connectivity remains important
Air travel accounted for 83.41% of foreign tourist arrivals in India in 2024, according to the compendium.
Disruptions to routes and increases in aviation costs are therefore relevant risks to consider. However, the supplied sources do not establish the actual effect of the 2026 global disruptions on India’s arrivals.
5. The final months of 2026 deserve attention
The supplied global update indicates cautious optimism among many tourism experts for September to December.
This period also overlaps with an important part of India’s inbound tourism season. In the 2024 data, December, February, January and November together accounted for 40.68% of foreign arrivals.
This seasonal overlap creates a reason to monitor late-year performance, but it does not guarantee that India will experience a rebound in 2026.
6. Tourism earnings and visitor volumes must be assessed together
A destination’s success cannot be measured by arrivals alone. Tourism earnings, overnight stays, average expenditure, employment, regional distribution and environmental pressures also matter.
India’s reported foreign-exchange earnings provide a useful economic indicator, but more detailed data would be needed to assess the quality and sustainability of tourism growth.
10. What Should India Focus on for Future Tourism Growth?
The statistics suggest several areas that tourism policymakers, destination managers and industry stakeholders may wish to examine.
Strengthen domestic tourism infrastructure. Popular destinations need effective transport, visitor facilities, sanitation, accommodation and destination management to support sustained demand.
Diversify international source markets. The differing performance of countries such as the United States, Bangladesh, Australia and China demonstrates the importance of understanding individual markets and their travel needs.
Improve international connectivity. Reliable air access and convenient onward transport can influence destination accessibility, although the impact of specific connectivity improvements should be evaluated using actual data.
Develop specialised tourism products. Heritage tourism, pilgrimage, wellness, medical travel, wildlife tourism, rural experiences and business travel can serve different visitor segments.
Measure tourism performance more comprehensively. Arrivals and visits should be considered alongside visitor spending, length of stay, employment, local economic benefits and environmental impacts.
Monitor international developments. Changes in geopolitical conditions, transport costs and global economic confidence may affect travel decisions and should be incorporated into tourism planning.
These are strategic implications drawn from the statistics, not claims that the cited reports have independently established the effectiveness of any particular policy.
Conclusion
India and world tourism statistics reveal two different but connected stories.
India’s 2024 tourism data show strong domestic tourism growth, substantial NRI-linked arrivals and tourism foreign-exchange earnings above their 2019 nominal level. At the same time, foreign-national arrivals had not fully recovered to pre-pandemic levels, and performance differed substantially across source markets and Indian states.
The supplied global tourism update for the first half of 2026 presents a more cautious international outlook. Growth slowed to 0.4%, regional performance varied considerably and the full-year forecast was revised downward to 1%–2%.
The central lesson is that tourism growth must be assessed through multiple indicators and carefully defined reporting periods. Domestic visits, international arrivals, foreign tourist visits and tourism earnings each measure different aspects of the industry.
For India, the scale of domestic travel provides an important foundation, while international market diversification, connectivity and destination management remain relevant priorities. For the global industry, the remainder of 2026 will be important in determining whether the expected improvement in the final months materialises.
As new official data become available, comparisons between India’s tourism performance and global trends will help policymakers, tourism professionals, researchers and students better understand the direction of the industry.
Sources and data notes
- Ministry of Tourism, Government of India: India Tourism Data Compendium 2025. The Indian figures in this article primarily refer to calendar year 2024; individual indicators may use different reporting periods.
- UN Tourism: First-half 2026 global tourism update and revised full-year outlook, as supplied for this article. Verify the original publication and its release date before publishing the global figures.
- Statistical interpretation: Tourist visits are not equivalent to unique tourists. Foreign Tourist Arrivals, total International Tourist Arrivals, state-level visits and tourism receipts are distinct measures.
Editorial note: This article combines Indian baseline statistics from 2024 with a global outlook for 2026. It should not be interpreted as a comprehensive report of India’s actual tourism performance in 2026, for which the corresponding official Indian statistics would be required.
References
- Ministry of Tourism, Government of India. India Tourism Data Compendium 2025. 66th ed. New Delhi: Ministry of Tourism, 2025. ISBN: 978-81-987397-6-6.
- UN Tourism. “International Tourism Saw 0.4% Growth in First Half of 2026 Amid Challenging Environment.” 2026.
- UN Tourism. World Tourism Barometer, May 2025.
- Bureau of Immigration, Government of India.
- State and Union Territory Tourism Departments, Government of India.
- Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).
- Reserve Bank of India (RBI).
- World Economic Forum. Travel and Tourism Development Index 2024.
