Foreign tourist arrivals to  India surge, US tops list 

The United States has emerged as the leading source of foreign tourists to India in 2024, overtaking Bangladesh, while the United Arab Emirates continues to dominate as the most popular destination for outbound Indian travellers. 

The figures, tabled in the Rajya Sabha by Tourism Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, reflect both a strong post-pandemic recovery and notable shifts in travel patterns over the past five years.

According to Bureau of Immigration data, India recorded 99,51,722 foreign tourist arrivals (FTAs) in 2024, a rise from 95,20,928 in 2023 and a sharp rebound from the pandemic low of 64,37,467 in 2022. However, the number still fell short of the pre-Covid peak of 1,09,30,355 registered in 2019.

The United States accounted for the highest share of foreign arrivals last year, sending 18,04,586 visitors. Bangladesh, which was the top contributor in 2019 with 25,77,727 tourists, slipped to second place at 17,50,165. The United Kingdom followed with 10,22,587 visitors, while Australia (5,18,205) and Canada (4,76,273) took the fourth and fifth spots respectively. Other countries in the top ten were Malaysia (3,07,526), Sri Lanka (2,81,827), Germany (2,56,348), France (2,06,855) and Singapore (2,05,383).

Outbound travel from India also touched a new high, with 3,08,85,048 departures in 2024, up from 2,78,77,640 in 2023 and exceeding the 2019 tally of 2,69,15,034. The UAE remained the most visited destination by Indians, attracting 77,87,496 travellers last year. It was followed by Saudi Arabia (34,23,711), the United States (21,43,909), Thailand (19,08,520) and Singapore (15,34,984). The United Kingdom ranked sixth (13,22,848), ahead of Qatar (11,40,407), Canada (9,45,652), Kuwait (9,06,965) and Oman (8,64,251).

The figures indicate significant changes in travel trends compared to the pre-pandemic period. For inbound travel, Bangladesh’s drop from first to second place and the steady rise of Australia and Canada in the rankings, stand out. On the outbound side, Thailand has seen remarkable growth, moving into the top five destinations, while Singapore has regained strong numbers after pandemic-era restrictions.

While the inbound sector has not yet regained its 2019 volume, the outbound market has expanded beyond pre-Covid levels, suggesting stronger demand among Indian travellers for international leisure and business trips. The data also highlights the resilience of long-haul travel, with the US and UK maintaining their positions as major destinations for Indians and as key sources of foreign visitors to India.

The minister shared the figures in response to a question by BJP MP Ashok Singh, who sought year-wise, country-wise data on the movement of tourists into and out of India between 2019 and 2024.