India reported 18.9 million international arrivals in 2023. However, only half — about 9.5 million — were actual foreign tourists. The rest were people of Indian origin or non-resident Indians visiting friends and family.
Even that 9.5 million is over 10% shy of 2019’s figure of nearly 11 million, which itself fell short of the potential for a country as culturally and geographically diverse as India.
Full results for 2024 aren’t available yet, but by mid-2024, the trend hadn’t improved much, with just 4.8 million foreign arrivals in the first six months.
While domestic tourism and outbound travel are thriving, inbound tourism remains a glaring weak link. According to the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), India’s international visitor spending in 2023 was still 14% lower than pre-pandemic levels, even as domestic spending soared.
In contrast, tourism makes up 10% of Turkey’s economy and nearly 25% of Thailand’s, but only 5% of India’s GDP. Doubling that contribution is now the goal.
Visa Hurdles and Missed Opportunities
India’s cumbersome visa process is a frequent complaint. While the government introduced free visas for 100,000 tourists under the Chalo India scheme, industry experts argue that cost isn’t the hurdle — it’s the complexity.
Rajeev Kohli, joint managing director of Creative Travel, put it bluntly: “Nobody minds paying a $40 visa fee on a $5,000 trip, but when the visa documentation stretches across multiple pages with unclear instructions, it’s enough to deter anyone.”
In comparison, countries like Thailand and Indonesia offer seamless visa-on-arrival options for many nationalities, making travel far more appealing. Kohli stressed the need for a mindset shift: “India has to move past its fear psychosis and simplify the visa process. If you make it easy, they will come.”
Rajeev Mehra, president of India’s inbound tour operators’ association, is similarly skeptical about the impact of the Chalo India scheme on inbound arrivals.
Expressing concern that India has yet to recover to its pre-Covid tourism numbers, Mehra pointed to another issue: tourist visas for Chinese nationals, a major source market before the pandemic, remain suspended. “Without Chinese tourists, it’s unlikely we’ll return to pre-Covid figures anytime soon,” he warned.
When Mellonie Francis, a frequent traveler from Bali, planned her trip to India, she was asked for her visa at the airline counter. She had assumed a country as progressive as India would have visa-on-arrival. What followed was a frustrating battle with India’s e-visa system — glitches, file size limits, and details of her parents.
“India boasts of some of the world’s best developers, but its visa system doesn’t reflect that,” Francis told Skift. These hurdles contrast sharply with the seamless entry processes offered by competing destinations.
In 2023, close to 4.3 million Indians traveled to Southeast Asian countries, whereas Southeast arrivals to India were around 750,000.
Are We Marketing India Enough?
In the 2025 Union Budget, funding for global tourism promotion was slashed by 97% to a meager INR 30 million ($361,000). While domestic tourism infrastructure saw a funding boost, the drastic cut raises serious concerns about the government’s commitment to attracting foreign visitors.
“Marketing is critical, especially now,” said Kohli.
He pointed out that while tourism as a whole is thriving, the international segment — often referred to as the “export” component of tourism — is struggling. “Why can’t the government support an industry that brings in valuable foreign exchange?” he asked. “We’re not asking for massive investments, just favorable policies. It’s an easy fix.”
The imbalance in priorities, Kohli argued, risks undermining India’s potential as a global tourist destination.
Pollution and Perception
There’s also the issue of how India is perceived in terms of safety and health. Delhi, an important gateway for inbound tourists, highlights this concern with its alarming air quality during October and November. In some areas, the Air Quality Index (AQI) exceeds 500, a level that could deter tourists and cut visits short.
“Tour cancellations and shorter itineraries are becoming increasingly common,” Rama Mahendru, country general manager for India at Intrepid Travel, had told Skift previously, referring to the impact of the pollution.
Pollution also tarnishes iconic monuments like the Taj Mahal, further diminishing India’s global appeal. Constructed out of translucent white marble, the rising air pollution levels have greatly affected the color of the Taj.
Limited Connectivity and Capacity
India’s tourism infrastructure, while improving, still struggles to meet the demands of a growing industry. The country has just 166,000 branded hotel rooms, with an additional 55,000 expected over the next five years, according to a September 2024 report by Care Ratings.
Even this supply growth falls short of demand.
“While contribution from international travellers is yet to materialize, domestic demand is the key driver currently,” said Ravleen Sethi, director of CareEdge Ratings.
Connectivity remains another challenge. While plans to build 29 new airports over the next 20 years are a step in the right direction, such projects need to be complemented by better last-mile connectivity to improve the overall tourist experience.
India has seen a notable decline in the World Economic Forum’s travel and tourism rankings, dropping 10 spots since 2019 to rank 39th. The report highlights key shortcomings, including deficiencies in transport, information technology, infrastructure, tourist facilities, and an unfavorable business environment.
Mellonie Francis eventually made it to India and despite the hurdles, her journey was everything she’d hoped for. “It’s a beautiful country with so much to offer,” she said, “but I almost didn’t make it here with my partner even suggesting we skip the India visit and stay on in Thailand.”
