India Records 10 Million Foreign Tourist Arrivals in 2024 – Travel Trends

India’s international travel pulse is finally stabilizing. The Ministry of Tourism just released a breakdown of who’s visiting India and where Indians are travelling. The numbers, drawn from the Bureau of Immigration, reveal a steady post-pandemic recovery, though not without surprises.

Foreign Tourists Are Coming Back—Slowly, But Steadily

In 2019, India welcomed over 10.9 million foreign tourists, but then Covid-19 happened, and by 2022, international arrivals had dropped to as low as just 6.4 million. Since then, the rebound has been steady:

• 2023: 9.5 million visitors
• 2024: 9.95 million visitors (and counting)

So we’re still around 1 million short of 2019 levels, but the trajectory seems promossing.

Who’s Visiting India the Most?

Here’s a quick snapshot of the top countries sending tourists to India in 2024:

Rank	Country	FTAs in 2024
1	United States	1,804,586
2	Bangladesh	1,750,165
3	United Kingdom	1,022,587
4	Australia	518,205
5	Canada	476,273
6	Malaysia	307,526
7	Sri Lanka	281,827
8	Germany	256,348
9	France	206,855
10	Singapore	205,383
11	Nepal	202,501
12	Japan	194,875
13	Russian Federation	160,188
14	Italy	142,239
15	Thailand	140,489
16	South Korea	112,924
17	Netherlands	93,579
18	Portugal	92,582
19	Maldives	84,770
20	Spain	81,959

As per the data, key trends showing that the United States is now leads by a wide margin, with nearly 1.8 million Americans visiting India in 2024, beating pre-pandemic numbers.

However, Bangladesh, once the top contributor, is down from 2.5 million (2019) to 1.75 million.

Similarly, Europe also shows recovery, especially the United Kingdom, Germany, and France.

Meanwhile, countries like Japan, Malaysia, and Singapore are lagging back toward pre-pandemic levels.

More Indians Than Ever Are Travelling Abroad

Indians are travelling abroad more than ever, over 30.8 million departures were recorded in 2024. That’s the highest in recent history, even beating 2019’s pre-pandemic figure of 26.9 million.

Where Are Indians Going?

Here’s where most Indian nationals headed in 2024:

Rank	Country	Departures in 2024
1	United Arab Emirates	7,787,496
2	Saudi Arabia	3,423,711
3	United States	2,143,909
4	Thailand	1,908,520
5	Singapore	1,534,984
6	United Kingdom	1,322,848
7	Qatar	1,140,407
8	Kuwait	906,965
9	Oman	864,251
10	Canada	945,652
11	Malaysia	765,344
12	Australia	661,405
13	Bangladesh	555,680
14	Indonesia	498,675
15	Sri Lanka	430,492
16	Germany	421,457
17	Vietnam	398,673
18	Bahrain	379,204
19	Nepal	309,207
20	China	258,082

Some destinations, like the UAE and Saudi Arabia, are driven by work and family ties. Others, like Thailand, Singapore, and Vietnam are popular holiday picks.

Thailand in particular has seen a major rebound, with nearly 2 million Indian visitors in 2024, up from 951,000 in 2022.

Fast-Growing Destinations

Some countries have seen a sharp spike in Indian visitors:

• Vietnam: 93,000 in 2019 → nearly 400,000 in 2024
• Azerbaijan: from 40,000 in 2019 → 156,000 in 2024
• Japan: rebounded to 181,000 after a dip during the pandemic
• Indonesia: nearly 500,000 Indian visitors in 2024

Countries like France, Germany, Canada, and Australia have also regained their traveler base, thanks to eased visa rules and increased direct flights.

What’s Fueling the Rise?

A few things are pushing these numbers:

• High demand after the pandemic
• New visa agreements and e-visa rollouts
• More direct flight routes, especially to Southeast Asia and Europe
• Growing Indian middle class with passport and travel dreams

There’s also a subtle shift in purpose: While business and family visits remain strong, there’s noticeable growth in leisure travel, especially among young Indians.

India’s Travel Recovery in Context

Inbound:

• Almost back to 2019 levels, but still room to grow
• US tourism is surging, while South Asian neighbors are mixed
• East Asian markets like Japan and China are recovering slowly

Outbound:

• Indians are traveling more than ever
• Gulf countries remain dominant, but Southeast Asia is hot
• Europe’s back on the radar, helped by relaxed visa appointments and air connectivity

Final Thoughts

India’s travel scene is clearly shifting. More foreigners are coming back, and even more Indians are heading out. The numbers say a lot, but how this plays out in 2025 will be worth watching.