WHERE HAVE ALL THE FOREIGN TOURISTS GONE?

On paper, inbound tourism has recovered, edging past pre-pandemic levels. The numbers don't tell the real story

- Varuni Khosla

In late March, an Indian couple in their 30s checked into a luxury hotel in Agra for a quick three-night escape, just as the international tourist season was winding down. Once a magnet for global travellers, the hotel had long been a familiar stop on the international circuit, alive with foreign accents and camera-laden guests heading to the Taj Mahal. But this time, the scene had changed. The lobby, the restaurant, even the hotel's puppet shows and pottery classes—once dominated by overseas visitors—were now filled almost entirely with Indian tourists.

Domestic travellers had quietly taken over a space that, not too long ago, was firmly international.

So, where have all the foreigners gone?

On paper, India's inbound tourism has recovered. India saw 18.89 million international tourist arrivals at the end of 2023, just crossing the pre-pandemic level of 17.91 million recorded in 2019—foreign tourist arrivals had finally edged past pre-pandemic levels. But a closer look at the numbers shows that non-resident Indians (NRIs) made up a big chunk of the arrivals. And arrivals from Bangladesh, many for medical care, made up another big chunk before political events in that country thinned those. In 2024, 9.66 million foreign tourists (excluding NRIs) arrived, provisional data from the government shows. This number is lower than the arrivals recorded between 2017 and 2019.

Beneath the surface, the rebound in the sector, one that contributes foreign exchange without needing trade deals, shipping routes, or heavy infrastructure, has been slower than expected. Many in the industry say what's missing is momentum—and vision. With international footfalls still subdued at marquee destinations, and overseas marketing efforts virtually absent, the question isn't just how far India has come, but how much further it could have gone.