**Executive Summary**
This document summarizes the Indian Ministry of Tourism's response to Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 2401, answered on December 15, 2025, regarding the contribution of states to the tourism industry. It details the states with the most significant contributions, metrics used for assessment, revenue generated, employment, incentives, and promotion of cultural tourism. The response includes data on tourist visits, foreign exchange earnings, and employment figures.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Major Contributing States:**
* Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Rajasthan are identified as major contributors based on Domestic and Foreign Tourist Visits (DTVs and FTVs).
* State/UT-wise DTVs and FTVs, along with their shares, are detailed in the Annexure.
* **Foreign Exchange Earnings (FEEs) from Tourism (in Rs. Crore):**
* 2022: 1,69,917
* 2023: 2,66,045
* 2024 (Revised Estimates): 2,93,033
* 2025 (Jan to Oct) (Provisional): 2,12,348
* **Tourism Employment (in million):**
* 2021-22: 70.04
* 2022-23: 76.17
* 2023-24: 84.63
* Source: Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS)
* **Incentives and Financial Assistance:**
* Ministry of Tourism provides financial assistance through central schemes like 'Swadesh Darshan (SD)', 'Challenge Based Destination Development (CBDD)', 'Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual, Heritage Augmentation Drive (PRASHAD)', and ‘Assistance to Central Agencies for Tourism Infrastructure Development' (ACA).
* Government of India also provides 'Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment (SASCI)' for tourism projects.
* **Promotion and Maintenance:**
* State Governments and UT Administrations primarily are responsible for the development, promotion, and maintenance of tourist sites.
* Ministry of Tourism supports through promotional activities, assistance for fairs and festivals, outreach through digital platforms, and participation in international tourism exhibitions.
**Impact Analysis**
**Stakeholder: State Governments and Union Territory Administrations**
**Impact:**
* Affected by the identification of major contributors, which may influence resource allocation and policy focus.
* Benefit from financial assistance provided through central schemes and initiatives.
* Primarily responsible for the development, promotion, and maintenance of tourist sites.
**Action Required:**
* Leverage central schemes and financial assistance for tourism development.
* Continue development, promotion, management and maintenance of tourist sites in a holistic manner.
**Stakeholder: Ministry of Tourism**
**Impact:**
* Expected to continue promotional efforts and financial assistance programs.
* Accountable for evaluating the contribution of states to the tourism industry.
**Action Required:**
* Continue to implement promotional activities and extend financial assistance.
* Organize and participate in events, fairs, and international tourism exhibitions.
**Stakeholder: Tourism Industry Stakeholders (e.g., hotels, tour operators, travel agencies)**
**Impact:**
* Potentially benefit from increased tourist inflow due to promotional efforts.
* Can leverage Ministry's website and social media platforms for outreach.
**Action Required:**
* Participate in promotional events and fairs organized by the Ministry.
* Utilize Ministry's platforms to enhance visibility.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Tourism: The central government ministry responsible for the formulation and administration of policies and programs for the development and promotion of tourism in India.
Swadesh Darshan: A central sector scheme of the Ministry of Tourism focused on integrated development of theme-based tourist circuits.
Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual, Heritage Augmentation Drive (PRASHAD): A scheme under the Ministry of Tourism focused on developing pilgrimage destinations.
States/UTs: The individual states and union territories within India, whose tourism contributions are being assessed.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF TOURISM
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2401
ANSWERED ON 15.12.2025
CONTRIBUTION OF STATES IN TOURISM INDUSTRY
2401. SHRI MANI A:
Will the Minister of TOURISM be pleased to state:
(a) the details of the States that made the most significant
contribution to the development of the tourism industry in the
country;
(b) the details of the metrics used to assess the contribution of States
to the tourism industry;
(c) the details of the revenue generated by the tourism sector during
the last three years and the current year;
(d) the employment generated in the tourism sector, especially in the
States contributing the most to its development;
(e) whether the States with significant contributions to tourism are
incentivized through Central schemes or grants; and
(f) the details of the States that contributed the most to the
promotion and preservation of cultural and heritage tourism?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF TOURISM (SHRI GAJENDRA SINGH SHEKHAWAT)
(a) & (b): As per the Domestic and Foreign Tourist Visits, Uttar Pradesh,
Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Rajasthan are among the
major contributors to the country’s tourism industry. The State/UT-wise
DTVs and FTVs, along with their respective shares, are given in the
Annexure.
(c): The Foreign Exchange Earnings (FEEs) from tourism in India during
the last three years and the current year are given below:
Year FEEs from Tourism in India (in Rs. Crore)
2022 1,69,9172023 2,66,045
#2 2,93,033
2024
2025 (Jan to October) (P) 2,12,348
#2: Revised Estimates
(P): Provisional Estimates
(d): The Employment scenario in the tourism sector in India for the year
2021-22 to 2023-24 is given below:
Year Total Number of tourism Employment (in million)
2021-22 70.04
2022-23 76.17
2023-24 84.63
Source: Estimates based on Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS)
(e): Ministry of Tourism through its central sector schemes of ‘Swadesh
Darshan(SD)’, Swadesh Darshan 2.0 (SD2.0), ‘Challenge Based
Destination Development (CBDD)’ – a sub-scheme of Swadesh Darshan,
‘Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual, Heritage Augmentation Drive
(PRASHAD)’ and ‘Assistance to Central Agencies for Tourism
Infrastructure Development’ schemes (ACA) is complementing the
efforts of tourism infrastructure development by extending financial
assistance to the State Governments/UT Administrations. In addition,
Government of India under its initiative for ‘Special Assistance to States
for Capital Investment (SASCI)’ has also provided financial assistance to
the States for development of tourism projects.
(f): The development, promotion, management and maintenance of
tourist sites, including cultural and heritage sites, is primarily the
responsibility of the respective State Governments and Union Territory
Administrations. However, as part of its ongoing activities, the Ministry
of Tourism promotes the tourism destinations and products of the
country in a holistic manner through various initiatives. These
promotional efforts include organizing and participating in events,
providing assistance to State Governments for conducting fairs and
festivals, undertaking outreach through the Ministry’s website and social
media platforms, and participating in international tourism exhibitions,
with a view to enhancing domestic and foreign tourist inflow into the
country
********ANNEXURE
STATEMENT IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) & (b) OF LOK SABHA UNSTARRED
QUESTION NO.2401 ANSWERED ON 15.12.2025 REGARDING
CONTRIBUTION OF STATES IN TOURISM INDUSTRY RAISED BY SHRI
MANI A.
State/UT-wise Domestic and Foreign Tourist Visits (DTVs and FTVs) and
Total Visits during 2024
S. No. States/UTs DTVs 2024 FTVs 2024 Total Visits
1 Uttar Pradesh 64,68,07,146 22,69,067 64,90,76,213
2 Tamil Nadu 30,68,42,014 11,61,302 30,80,03,316
3 Karnataka 30,45,63,569 4,85,204 30,50,48,773
4 Andhra Pradesh 29,02,66,452 2,62,431 29,05,28,883
5 Rajasthan 23,00,84,198 20,72,407 23,21,56,605
6 Maharashtra* 18,93,71,541 37,05,170 19,30,76,711
7 West Bengal 18,44,75,527 31,24,462 18,75,99,989
8 Gujarat 18,40,14,075 22,74,477 18,62,88,552
9 Madhya Pradesh 13,31,76,410 1,67,535 13,33,43,945
10 Telangana 8,82,39,675 1,55,313 8,83,94,988
11 Bihar 6,54,63,304 7,36,720 6,62,00,024
12 Uttarakhand 6,08,49,060 1,39,375 6,09,88,435
13 Jharkhand 5,40,40,789 45,273 5,40,86,062
14 Delhi* 4,62,57,000 19,99,410 4,82,56,410
15 Chhattisgarh 3,14,87,900 3,485 3,14,91,385
16 Punjab 2,77,45,183 5,41,784 2,82,86,967
17 Jammu & Kashmir 2,30,12,707 65,452 2,30,78,159
18 Kerala 2,22,46,989 7,38,374 2,29,85,363
19 Himachal Pradesh 1,80,41,929 82,765 1,81,24,694
20 Odisha 1,09,98,819 87,854 1,10,86,673
21 Goa 99,41,286 4,67,911 1,04,09,197
22 Assam 76,08,169 27,170 76,35,339
23 Puducherry 21,19,792 17,819 21,37,611
24 Haryana 18,92,251 543 18,92,794
26 Sikkim 15,40,421 84,820 16,25,241
25 Meghalaya 15,85,535 23,075 16,08,610
Dadra Nagar Haveli &
27 13,58,901 2,626 13,61,527
Daman & Diu
28 Chandigarh 9,98,605 39,058 10,37,663
29 Arunachal Pradesh 8,69,912 4,714 8,74,626
Andaman & Nicobar
30 7,10,397 11,497 7,21,894
Islands31 Tripura 6,00,651 90,824 6,91,475
32 Mizoram 4,21,888 5,414 4,27,302
33 Ladakh 3,36,682 39,704 3,76,386
34 Nagaland 1,25,516 5,623 1,31,139
35 Lakshadweep 67,430 898 68,328
36 Manipur 29,102 2,518 31,620
Total 2,94,81,90,825 2,09,42,074 2,96,91,32,899
Source: State/UT Tourism Departments
*: Estimated Data
********