Parliament Question: Boosting in India's Image among Foreign Tourists

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF TOURISM LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.3746 ANSWERED ON 16.03.2026 BOOSTING IN INDIA'S IMAGE AMONG FOREIGN TOURISTS 3746. DR. D. PURANDESWARI: Will the Minister of TOURISM be pleased to state: (a) the details of the trends in Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTAs) in India during the last five years, year-wise along with its contribution in country’s GDP; (b) the details of the regions or States in India have recorded the highest FTAs and the factors which contributed to their popularity among foreign tourists; (c) the details of the partnerships with global tourism boards to promote India as a preferred destination for Niche tourism such as adventure and wellness tourism; (d) the details of the steps taken/being taken by the Government to promote lesser-known destinations to attract foreign tourists and ensure balanced regional tourism growth; and (e) the details of the contribution of the international tourism fairs and roadshows in boosting India’s image among foreign travellers? ANSWER THE MINISTER OF TOURISM (SHRI GAJENDRA SINGH SHEKHAWAT) (a): 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. (b): 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 ForeignTourist 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 (c): 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. (d): 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. (e): 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 STATEMENT IN REPLY TO PART (a) OF LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.3746 ANSWERED ON 16.03.2026 REGARDING BOOSTING IN INDIA'S IMAGE AMONG FOREIGN TOURISTS RAISED BY DR. D. PURANDESWARI Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTAs) in India from 2020 to 2024: Year FTAs 2020 27,44,766 2021 15,27,114 2022 64,37,467 2023 95,20,928 2024 99,51,722 Source: Bureau of Immigration Tourism GDP (direct and indirect) in Rs Lakhs and Percentage share in country's GDP: Financial Year Tourism GDP Percentage share 2019-20 104098995 5.2 2020-21 29617002 1.5 2021-22 41098373 1.7 2022-23 136833610 5.1 2023-24 157372988 5.2 ********