India's foreign tourism arrivals soar by 124% in 2023, reaching 1.92 crore visitors

India's tourism industry witnessed a remarkable resurgence in 2023, recording a 124% increase in foreign tourist arrivals, Tourism Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat informed the Lok Sabha on Monday.

The country welcomed 1.92 crore international visitors, a substantial jump from 85 lakh tourists in 2022, highlighting a strong post-pandemic recovery.

Several states emerged as key hotspots for international travellers, with Delhi, Goa, Gujarat, Kerala, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Punjab, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal attracting the highest number of visitors.

The Ministry of Tourism has played a pivotal role in fostering this growth through a range of initiatives:

-Infrastructure development: Programs like ‘Swadesh Darshan’ and ‘PRASHAD’ (National Mission on Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual Heritage Augmentation Drive) focused on enhancing facilities at key tourism destinations. -Global promotion: Campaigns such as ‘Dekho Apna Desh’ and ‘Chalo India’, along with events like the International Tourism Mart and Bharat Parv, amplified India’s presence on the global tourism stage. -Digital expansion: The launch of the Incredible India Content Hub provided tourists with rich digital resources, including images, films, and brochures showcasing India’s diverse attractions.

Recognizing the evolving preferences of international tourists, India’s tourism sector diversified its offerings by emphasizing wellness tourism, culinary tourism, rural tourism, and eco-tourism.

Additionally, capacity-building programs such as ‘Incredible India Tourist Facilitator’ (IITF) and ‘Paryatan Mitra’ were introduced to enhance visitor experiences through trained facilitators.

A key aspect of the tourism growth strategy involved improving accessibility to major destinations. In collaboration with the Ministry of Civil Aviation, the government operationalized 53 tourism routes under the RCS-UDAN Scheme, strengthening regional air connectivity.

Furthermore, India’s e-Visa program has been expanded to 167 countries, with nine sub-categories, including e-Tourist Visa, e-Business Visa, e-Medical Visa, and e-Conference Visa, simplifying the visa application process for foreign visitors.