Executive Summary:
This document presents the Ministry of Tourism's response to Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 4032, answered on August 18, 2025, regarding the surge in Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTAs). It details the FTAs, International Tourist Arrivals (ITAs), Foreign Exchange Earnings (FEEs), GDP contribution, and employment figures in the tourism sector over the last five years (2020-2024). It also lists the top ten source markets for FTAs during this period.
Key Points / Main Content:
* **Tourist Arrivals (in Lakh):**
* FTAs: 2020 (27.45), 2021 (15.27), 2022 (64.37), 2023 (95.21), 2024 (99.52)
* ITAs: 2020 (63.37), 2021 (70.10), 2022 (143.30), 2023 (188.99), 2024 (205.69)
* Source: Bureau of Immigration
* **Foreign Exchange Earnings (FEEs) (in Rs. Crore):**
* 2020: 95,738
* 2021: 63,978
* 2022: 1,69,917
* 2023: 2,66,045
* 2024: 2,93,033 (Revised Estimates)
* **Contribution to GDP:**
* 2020-21: 1.50%
* 2021-22: 1.75%
* 2022-23: 5.09%
* 2023-24: 5.22% (Revised Estimates, Provisional)
* Source: National Account Statistics (NAS) 2025
* **Employment in Tourism Sector (in Million Jobs):**
* 2020-21: 68.07
* 2021-22: 70.04
* 2022-23: 76.17
* 2023-24: 84.63
* Source: Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS)
* **Top 10 Source Countries for FTAs:**
* United States, Bangladesh, United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Germany, France, Singapore. (Detailed figures for 2020-2024 are provided in the Annexure.)
Impact Analysis:
**Ministry of Tourism:**
* *Impact:* Accountable for monitoring and reporting on tourism statistics and their economic impact.
* *Action Required:* Continue data collection and analysis to inform policy decisions and support the growth of the tourism sector.
**Indian Economy:**
* *Impact:* Benefits from increased foreign exchange earnings, GDP contribution, and job creation due to tourism.
* *Action Required:* Support policies that promote tourism and infrastructure development.
**Tourism Sector Stakeholders (e.g., hotels, tour operators, travel agencies):**
* *Impact:* Directly affected by fluctuations in tourist arrivals and spending.
* *Action Required:* Adapt business strategies to cater to the evolving needs and preferences of international tourists from the top source markets.
**Bureau of Immigration & Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS):**
* *Impact:* Responsible for providing the source data on which the report is based.
* *Action Required:* Maintain accurate and timely data collection and reporting procedures.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Tourism: A government ministry responsible for the development and promotion of tourism in India.
Lok Sabha: The lower house of the Parliament of India.
COVID19 pandemic: The global pandemic caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which significantly impacted the tourism sector.
Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat: The Minister of Tourism, responsible for answering the parliamentary question.
Bureau of Immigration: The source of the Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTAs) data.
Gross Domestic Product: A monetary measure of the market value of all the final goods and services produced in a specific time period by a country or countries.
United States: A top source country for Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTAs) to India.
Bangladesh: A top source country for Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTAs) to India.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF TOURISM
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.4032
ANSWERED ON 18.08.2025
SURGE IN FOREIGN TOURIST ARRIVALS
4032. PROF. SOUGATA RAY:
Will the Minister of TOURISM be pleased to state:
(a) the details of number of Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTAs) recorded in
the country during the last five years, year-wise;
(b) whether India's tourism sector has seen a significant recovery after
the COVID-19 pandemic, with international tourist arrivals exceeding
pre-pandemic levels;
(c) if so, the details thereof;
(d) the details of the top ten source markets for FTAs during the last five
years;
(e) whether the surge in foreign tourist arrivals has a positive impact on
the Indian economy, contributing significantly to foreign exchange
earnings and job creation in the tourism sector; and
(f) if so, the details thereof?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF TOURISM (SHRI GAJENDRA SINGH SHEKHAWAT)
(a) to (c): The details of Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTAs) and International
Tourist Arrivals (ITAs) during the last five years are given below:
Year FTAs (in lakh) ITAs (in lakh)
2020 27.45 63.37
2021 15.27 70.10
2022 64.37 143.30
2023 95.21 188.99
2024 99.52 205.69
Source: Bureau of Immigration
(d): The details of top 10 source markets for FTAs during the last five
years is placed at Annexure.(e) & (f): The Foreign Exchange Earnings from tourism in India during the
same period is given below:
Year FEEs from Tourism in India (in Rs. Crore)
2020 95,738
2021 63,978
2022 1,69,917
2023 2,66,045
2024 #2 2,93,033
#2: Revised Estimates
The contribution of tourism sector to the country’s Gross Domestic
Product (GDP) for 2020-21 to 2023-24 is given below:
Year Total Share in GDP (in %)
2020-21 1.50
2021-22 1.75
2022-23* 5.09
2023-24 (P) 5.22
*: Revised estimates
(P): Provisional estimates
Source: Estimates based on the National Account Statistics (NAS) 2025
The Employment scenario in the tourism sector in India for the year 2020-
21 to 2023-24 is given below:
Year Total Number of tourism jobs (in million)
2020-21 68.07
2021-22 70.04
2022-23 76.17
2023-24 84.63
Source: Estimates based on Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS)
********ANNEXURE
STATEMENT IN REPLY TO PART (d) OF LOK SABHA UNSTARRED
QUESTION NO.4032 ANSWERED ON 18.08.2025 REGARDING SURGE IN
FOREIGN TOURIST ARRIVALS RAISED BY PROF. SOUGATA RAY
Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTAs) from top 10 source countries during the
last five years:
S.
Country 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
No.
1 United States 3,94,092 4,29,860 14,03,399 16,91,498 18,04,586
2 Bangladesh 5,49,273 2,40,554 12,77,557 21,19,826 17,50,165
3 United Kingdom 2,91,874 1,64,143 6,41,051 9,20,591 10,22,587
4 Australia 86,758 33,864 3,76,898 4,56,167 5,18,205
5 Canada 1,22,868 80,437 2,89,259 3,85,938 4,76,273
6 Malaysia 69,897 6,628 1,26,192 2,62,458 3,07,526
7 Sri Lanka 68,646 25,989 1,83,459 2,80,327 2,81,827
8 Germany 72,558 33,772 1,41,425 2,23,575 2,56,348
9 France 74,243 30,374 1,20,282 1,88,981 2,06,855
10 Singapore 33,747 13,407 1,32,668 1,83,772 2,05,383
Other Countries 9,80,810 4,68,086 17,45,277 28,07,795 31,21,967
Total FTAs 27,44,766 15,27,114 64,37,467 95,20,928 99,51,722
Source: Bureau of Immigration
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