Taj Mahal Leads India’s Tourism Revival in 2024-25
New Delhi – India’s tourism sector has experienced a strong resurgence in the financial year 2024-25, with both domestic and international travelers visiting the country’s celebrated monuments, according to the India Tourism Data Compendium 2025 released by the Ministry of Tourism on World Tourism Day.
The Taj Mahal remains the most visited site, attracting 6.26 million domestic tourists and 0.64 million international visitors. Other popular destinations for domestic travelers include the Sun Temple in Konark, Odisha, which welcomed 3.5 million visitors, and Qutub Minar in Delhi, drawing 3.2 million. Among foreign tourists, Agra Fort and Qutub Minar followed closely behind the Taj Mahal, underscoring India’s enduring appeal as a cultural and historical destination.
Among states, Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu recorded the highest number of domestic tourist visits, with 646.8 million and 306.8 million respectively, while Maharashtra and West Bengal led in foreign arrivals, hosting 3.7 million and 3.1 million visitors.
After a sharp decline during the COVID-19 pandemic, when foreign tourist arrivals fell nearly 75% to just 2.7 million in 2020, the sector has steadily recovered. Foreign arrivals rose to 6.44 million in 2022 and reached 9.95 million in 2024, reflecting a 4.5% increase over 2023. Non-Resident Indian (NRI) visits also showed significant growth, reaching 10.6 million in 2024, up 13.2% from 2023 and 52.1% compared to pre-pandemic levels.
Overall, International Tourist Arrivals (ITAs) in India, combining both foreign visitors and NRIs, totaled 20.57 million in 2024, representing an 8.9% increase over the previous year and a 14.8% rise compared to 2019. Regionally, most foreign travelers came from Asia and the Pacific (43%), followed by Europe (27%) and North America (23%).
Leisure and holiday travel accounted for 45% of all visits, reaffirming India’s position as a favored global destination. Visits by the Indian diaspora, representing 28.5%, were the second-largest segment, highlighting enduring cultural and familial connections.
Outbound travel from India also maintained an upward trend, with 31 million departures in 2024, a 10.8% rise from 2023. The United Arab Emirates remained the top destination for Indian travelers, followed by Saudi Arabia, the United States, Thailand, Singapore, the United Kingdom, Qatar, Canada, Kuwait, and Oman, collectively accounting for over 70% of departures.
Age demographics indicate that Indian nationals traveling abroad were mainly from the working-age group, with those aged 25–34 forming the largest segment at 27.4%. Among foreign arrivals, the highest numbers came from travelers aged 35–44 (20.6%) and 45–54 (20.2%), reflecting strong interest across a broad age range.
This data highlights India’s continued growth as a global tourism hub and the growing confidence of international visitors and the Indian diaspora in returning to the country for travel, leisure, and cultural experiences.
