India is a large market for travel and tourism. It offers a diverse portfolio of niche tourism products - cruises, adventure, medical, wellness, sports, MI CE, eco-tourism, film, rural and religious tourism. India has been recognized as a destination for spiritual tourism for domestic and international tourists. In his Independence speech from Red Fort, Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi urged people to visit 15 domestic tourist destinations in India by 2022 to promote tourism. Pilgrimage travel in India is popular domestically and among the large Indian diaspora worldwide. The government has taken steps to boost investments in facilitate spiritual tourism with states like Uttar Pradesh developing tourist circuits and Uttarakhand and West Bengal enhancing infrastructure for pilgrims.
India ranked 34 in the Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Report 2019 published by the World Economic Forum. India is the most digitally advanced traveller nation in terms of digital tools being used for planning, booking, and experiencing a journey. India’s rising middle class and increasing disposable income have supported the growth of domestic and outbound tourism.
India has been ranked 39th in Travel and Tourism Development Index (TTDI) in 2024 published by the World Economic Forum.
According to WTTC, the contribution of India's travel and tourism sector to India's economy was worth US$ 199.6 billion in 2022.
The Indian travel and tourism industry is expected to record an annual growth at 7.1% per annum.
In WTTC’s Economic Impact 2023 report, India’s Travel and Tourism GDP contribution grew by 5.9%.
In 2022, the travel & tourism industry’s contribution to the GDP was US$ 199.6 billion; this is expected to reach US$ 512 billion by 2028. By 2029, it is expected to account for about 53 million jobs.
As per the Ministry of Tourism, Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTAs) in December 2023 were 1,070,163. FTAs during the period January-December 2023 were 9,236,108 as compared to 6,437,467 in January-December 2022.
Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTAs) in May 2024 were 6,00,496 as compared to 5,98,480 in May 2023.
FTAs during the period January-May 2024 were 40,72,329 as compared to 37,32,231 in January-May 2023.
The percentage share of Foreign Tourist Arrivals in India during December 2023 among the top 5 ports was highest at Delhi Airport (29.92%) followed by Mumbai Airport (18.46%), Haridaspur Land Check Post (7.09%), Chennai Airport (7.02%), Bengaluru Airport (6.20%). FTAs during the period January-December 2023 were 9.24 million.
The percentage share of foreign tourist arrivals in India during May 2024 among the top five source countries was highest from Bangladesh (24.50%), followed by USA (20.40%), UK (6.90%), Australia (3.50%) and Canada (3.30%).
Tourism is the third largest foreign exchange earner for the country. FEE during the period January-December 2023 were US$ 28.1 billion. And FEE during the period January to May 2024 was US$ 13.03 billion.
Domestic visitor spending increased by 20.4% in 2022, only 14.1% below 2019. International visitor spending rose by 81.9% in 2022, but still 40.4% behind 2019 numbers.
Cumulative FDI equity inflow in the Hotel and Tourism industry is US$ 17.2 billion during the period April 2000-March 2024. This constitutes 2.54% of the total FDI inflow received across sectors.
The G-20 Presidency will give India’s tourism sector an unparalleled opportunity to highlight India’s tourism offerings and share India’s tourism success stories on a global stage.
By 2028, Indian tourism and hospitality is expected to earn US$ 50.9 billion as visitor exports compared with US$ 28.9 billion in 2018.
Tourism Ministry has undertaken the ‘NamasteIndia’ Campaign for encouraging international visitors to travel to India.
In the 2024 interim Budget, Finance Minister, Ms. Nirmala Sitharaman allocated Rs. 2,449.62 crore (US$ 294.8 million) to the tourism sector, a 44.7% increase from the previous fiscal year. This marks a positive change from the 2023 Union Budget's initial allocation of Rs. 2,400 crore (US$ 288.8 million), later revised to Rs. 1,692.10 crore (US$ 203.6 million).
The Ministry of Tourism launched the Swadesh Darshan Scheme to develop theme-based tourist circuits, sanctioning 76 projects. Upgraded to Swadesh Darshan 2.0 (SD2.0), it targets sustainable tourism, selecting 57 destinations for development, with States/UTs preparing plans accordingly.
The Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi inaugurates and unveils 52 tourism sector projects valued at over Rs. 1,400 crore (US$ 168.5 million) under the Swadesh Darshan and PRASHAD Scheme.
Ministry of Tourism has partnered with the Quality Council of India (QCI), to assist the Hospitality Industry in their preparedness to continue operations safely and mitigate risks arising out of the COVID-19 pandemic through an initiative called SAATHI (System for Assessment, Awareness and Training for Hospitality Industry). A hotel/unit goes through the SAATHI framework and agrees to fully follow the requirements wherever applicable possible, and a self-certification is issued. Self-certified hotels/units attend webinars to clarify doubts through live interactions. If Hotel/unit desires, they may undertake a site assessment based on the SAATHI framework through QCI-accredited agencies and an assessment report with opportunities for improvement is shared with the assessed unit.
In June 2022, the Ministry of Tourism along with the Associations of Indian Universities (AIU) initiated a 12-episode webinar series under ‘Azadi Ka Amrut Mahotsav’ (AKAM) to engage and expose young minds of our country to the rich and diverse heritage of the country.
Accor, a French hospitality major will expand its India portfolio by adding nine additional hotels in the mid-scale and economy categories, bringing the total number of hotels to 54 in India.
The Medical Tourism sector is expected to increase at a CAGR of 21.1% from 2020-27.
The travel market in India is projected to reach US$ 125 billion by FY27 from an estimated US$ 75 billion in FY20.
The Ministry of Tourism has approved 16 projects for over Rs. 1,300 crore (US$ 171.2 million) in India's North-East.
The Ministry of Tourism has undertaken Destination Based Skill Development training programme at various places in the country to train, local people residing near the tourist sites and destinations. Around 12,187 candidates have been trained at 145 destinations.
The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has introduced a new scheme called ‘All India Tourist Vehicles Authorisation and Permit Rules, 2021’, in which a tourist vehicle operator can register online for All India Tourist Authorisation/Permit. This permit will be issued within 30 days of submitting the application.
The United Nations World Tourism Organisation selected Pochampally in Telangana as one of the best tourism villages in November 2021.
In March 2024, MakeMyTrip revealed a partnership with the Department of Tourism, Madhya Pradesh, and redBus to boost tourism in the region, aiming for sustainable development and positioning Madhya Pradesh as a premier destination.
In March 2024, Indian Hotels Corporation Ltd (IHCL) has announced plans to recruit approximately 2,000-2,500 employees in the fiscal year 2025. This expansion of the workforce aligns with IHCL's ambitious plans, which include a pipeline of 85 hotels.
As of February 2024, Ayodhya is anticipated to host between 50 to 100 hotels over next 3 to 4 years. The city, acclaimed as a global religious destination, is primed for substantial development, with Taj Hotels poised to establish its fourth property in the area.
In December 2023, IHCL expanded its presence in Maharashtra as it signed a hotel in Bandra, Mumbai. The Brownfield project will be branded an IHCL- SeleQtions hotel.
In December 2023, TAJ won the ‘World’s finest luxury grand palaces’ award at the ‘101 Best Executive Summit’ in Germany.
In November 2023, Indian Hotels Company (IHCL) announced the opening of Ginger Mumbai, Airport. The 371 Keys flagship Ginger hotel, strategically located near the domestic airport will introduce the brand’s lean luxe design and service philosophy of offering a vibrant, contemporary, and seamless hospitality experience to its guests.
In September 2023, Mahindra Holidays & Resorts (MHRIL) signed an MOU with the Government of Uttarakhand (UK) to invest Rs. 1,000 crore (US$ 120.16 million) and build 4-5 large marquee resorts over the next few years in Uttarakhand.
OYO estimates India to present a US$ 26 billion opportunity by 2030. To further strengthen its position in India, in October 2021, the company filed its draft red herring prospectus (DRHP) for an initial public offering (IPO) of Rs. 8,430 crore (US$ 1.2 billion) with the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI).
The Government of India launched the e -Visa on November 27, 2014, and subsequently e-Tourist Visa was initially introduced for 46 countries.
The e-Tourist Visa is part of the e-Visa facility which includes an e-Business Visa, e-Conference Visa, e-Medical Visa, and e-Medical Attendant Visa.
In 2021, the Government of India announced 40,000 e-tourist visas out of 500,000 free regular visas to the tourist, to ensure a geographical spread of the incentive to important source markets globally.
In December 2019, e-visa facility was offered to around 170 countries.
The facility for e-tourist visa has been extended to passengers arriving at these ports of Mumbai, Mormugao, Mangalore, Kochi, and Chennai and immigration counters have been set up at five major ports visited by cruise ships, thus facilitating the cruise passenger arrivals at the seaports.
‘Medical Visa’ has been introduced, which can be given for specific purpose to foreign travellers coming to India for medical treatment. ‘E-Medical Visa’ has also been introduced for 166 countries.
India has invested heavily in AYUSH and is in a unique position to attract medical value travellers for a cure through AYUSH and for enhancing wellness.
India is ranked 10th out of the top 46 countries in the world in the Medical Tourism Index 2020-21 by Medical Tourism Association. The Indian medical tourism industry was estimated to be valued at US$ 7,417 million in 2022 and it is projected to surpass US$ 42,237.47 million by 2032.
Cruise tourism is one of the most vibrant and fast-growing sectors of the leisure and travel industry. The Indian government has estimated that India would emerge with a market size of 1.2 million cruise visitors by 2030-31.
Moreover, India is looking to take advantage of its 7,500 km coastline to tap the growth potential of the cruise tourism segment.
Ministry of Tourism is funding the development of cruise terminals, lighthouses, and other tourist infrastructure in several coastal locations to promote domestic and international cruise terminals at selected ports by 2023.
Ministry of Tourism has also sanctioned US$ 27.7 million for various projects towards the development of Cruise Terminals and related infrastructure in different States at the major ports under the scheme for ‘Assistance to Central Agencies for Tourism Infrastructure Development.
National strategy and roadmap for the development of rural tourism aims at prioritization of rural tourism at the national level.
This can benefit the local community economically and socially and facilitate interaction between tourists and locals for a mutually enriching experience.
India has rich natural and eco-tourism resources ranging from pristine forests, the snow-clad Himalayas, montane grasslands, golden and silver deserts, rivers, lakes, wetlands, mangroves, beaches, volcanoes and corals, housing tremendous biodiversity.
In 2021, the Ministry of Forest, Environment and Climate Change issued “Ecotourism guidelines in and around protected areas 2021” based on the key recommendations of the Tiger Task Force (2005), provisions contained in the Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972, Scheduled Tribes, and Other Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act 2006.
