Lok Sabha Question No. 1721 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-03-10
Subject: Arrivals of Foreign Tourist
Ministry: TOURISM
Asked by: Dr. Indra Hang Subba

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF TOURISM

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1721

## ANSWERED ON 10.03.2025

## ARRIVALS OF FOREIGN TOURIST

## 1721. DR. INDRA HANG SUBBA:

Will the Minister of TOURISM be pleased to state:

- (a) the  details  of  total  number  of  foreign  tourists  who  visited  India after Covid pandemic, State-wise;
- (b) the details of the initiatives taken by the Government to encourage more foreign tourists to visit India;
- (c) the details of the number of tourists visited India for the purpose of trekking in the Himalayan region; and
- (d) the details of the mode of transportation most used by the foreign tourists while travelling within India?

## ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF TOURISM         (SHRI GAJENDRA SINGH SHEKHAWAT)

- (a): The details of State-wise Foreign Tourist Visits in India during 2022 and 2023 is given in the Annexure.
- (b): Ministry  of  Tourism  has  taken  several  steps/initiatives  over  the years to encourage more foreign tourists to visit India as under:
- The Ministry of Tourism under the schemes of 'Swadesh Darshan', 'National Mission on Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual Heritage Augmentation Drive (PRASHAD)' and 'Assistance to Central Agencies for Tourism Infrastructure Development' provides financial assistance  to  State  Governments/Union  Territory  Administrations/ Central Agencies for the development of tourism related infrastructure  and  facilities  at  various  tourism  destinations  in  the country.
- Ministry  of  Tourism  through  its  various  campaigns  and  events promotes  various  tourism  destinations  and  products  of  India  in
- domestic  and  international  markets.  Some  of  the  initiatives  are Dekho  Apna  Desh  campaign,  Chalo  India  campaign,  International Tourism Mart, Bharat Parv.
- The Incredible India Content Hub was  launched which is a comprehensive digital repository, featuring a rich collection of highquality images, films, brochures, and newsletters related to tourism in  India.  Promotions  are  also  carried  out  through  the  web-site -www.incredibleindia.org and social media handles of the Ministry.
- Thematic tourism like wellness tourism, culinary tourism, rural, ecotourism, etc. amongst other niche subjects are promoted so as to expand the scope of tourism into other sectors as well.
- Enhance the overall quality and visitor experience through initiatives focused on capacity building, skill development such as 'Capacity  Building  for  Service  Providers',  'Incredible  India  Tourist Facilitator' (IITF), 'Paryatan Mitra' and 'Paryatan Didi'.
- For  improving  air  connectivity  to  important  tourist  destinations, Ministry of Tourism has collaborated with Ministry of Civil Aviation under their RCS-UDAN Scheme. As on date, 53 tourism routes have been operationalized.
- e-Visa scheme is now available to 167 countries and it is available for 9 sub-categories:
- i. e-Tourist Visa
- ii. e-Business Visa
- iii.   e-Medical Visa
- iv.   e-Conference Visa
- v. e-Medical Attendant Visa
- vi.   e-Ayush Visa
- vii.  e-Ayush Attendant Visa
- viii.   e- Student Visa
- ix.   e-Student X Visa

(c) & (d): The  number  of  tourists visited in India for trekking in Himalayan  range  and  mode  of  transportation  used  by  foreign  tourists while travelling within India is not available with the Ministry of Tourism.

********

ANNEXURE

STATEMENT  IN  REPLY  TO  PART  (a)  OF  LOK  SABHA  UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1721 ANSWERED ON 10.03.2025 REGARDING ARRIVALS OF FOREIGN TOURIST RAISED BY SHRI DR. INDRA HANG SUBBA

Details of Foreign Tourist Visits (FTVs) in India during 2022 and 2023 is given below:

| S. No.   | State/UT                                     | Foreign Tourist Visits (FTVs)   | Foreign Tourist Visits (FTVs)   |
|----------|----------------------------------------------|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
| S. No.   | State/UT                                     | 2022                            | 2023                            |
| 1        | Andaman & Nicobar Islands                    | 4,461                           | 9,025                           |
| 2        | Andhra Pradesh                               | 1,65,845                        | 60,426                          |
| 3        | Arunachal Pradesh                            | 1,055                           | 4,496                           |
| 4        | Assam                                        | 9,001                           | 23,818                          |
| 5        | Bihar                                        | 86,829                          | 5,46,576                        |
| 6        | Chandigarh                                   | 28,439                          | 31,498                          |
| 7        | Chhattisgarh                                 | 238                             | 953                             |
| 8        | UT of Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu | 1,791                           | 4,048                           |
| 9        | Delhi*                                       | 8,15,713                        | 18,28,116                       |
| 10       | Goa                                          | 1,74,799                        | 4,52,692                        |
| 11       | Gujarat                                      | 17,77,215                       | 28,06,871                       |
| 12       | Haryana                                      | 2,439                           | 1,346                           |
| 13       | Himachal Pradesh                             | 29,333                          | 62,806                          |
| 14       | Jammu & Kashmir                              | 19,985                          | 55,337                          |
| 15       | Jharkhand                                    | 1,92,319                        | 1,89,261                        |
| 16       | Karnataka                                    | 1,28,520                        | 4,09,333                        |
| 17       | Kerala                                       | 3,45,549                        | 6,49,057                        |
| 18       | Lakshadweep                                  | 125                             | 755                             |
| 19       | Ladakh                                       | 21,259                          | 40,970                          |
| 20       | Madhya Pradesh                               | 2,04,454                        | 1,82,685                        |
| 21       | Maharashtra*                                 | 15,11,623                       | 33,87,739                       |
| 22       | Manipur                                      | 3,908                           | 3,668                           |
| 23       | Meghalaya                                    | 7,774                           | 19,973                          |
| 24       | Mizoram                                      | 2,611                           | 3,754                           |
| 25       | Nagaland                                     | 2,923                           | 4,725                           |
| 26       | Odisha                                       | 22,121                          | 45,173                          |
| 27       | Puducherry                                   | 862                             | 31,214                          |
| 28       | Punjab                                       | 3,29,458                        | 7,41,734                        |
| 29       | Rajasthan                                    | 3,96,684                        | 16,99,869                       |

| 30   | Sikkim        | 68,645    | 93,908      |
|------|---------------|-----------|-------------|
| 31   | Tamil Nadu    | 4,07,126  | 11,74,899   |
| 32   | Telangana     | 68,401    | 1,60,912    |
| 33   | Tripura       | 8,493     | 66,708      |
| 34   | Uttar Pradesh | 6,48,986  | 16,01,503   |
| 35   | Uttarakhand   | 61,561    | 1,43,027    |
| 36   | West Bengal   | 10,37,017 | 27,06,942   |
|      | Total         | 85,87,562 | 1,92,45,817 |

Source:- State/UT Tourism Departments * : Estimated data ********