India's Tourism Sector Growth: 56 Lakh Foreign Arrivals and 303.59 Crore Domestic Visits Recorded in 2025

New Delhi: India has witnessed approximately 56 lakh foreign tourist arrivals (FTAs) through August this year, complemented by 303.59 crore domestic tourist visits, according to official statistics released on Friday.

Medical tourism continues to grow, with 1,31,856 FTAs for medical purposes recorded up to April 2025, representing about 4.1 percent of the total foreign arrivals during this timeframe, as government data indicates.

In the 2024-25 fiscal year, the Sustainable and Responsible Tourism (SASCI) initiative sanctioned 40 projects across 23 states with an allocation of Rs 3,295.76 crore, fully funded by the central government.

The 'Swadesh Darshan' and 'Swadesh Darshan 2.0' programs have facilitated the development of 110 projects spanning various thematic circuits, including Ramayana, Buddhist, Coastal, and Tribal circuits.

Tourism represents a significant economic sector that contributes to exports and enhances global prosperity.

Over the past decade, the government has implemented numerous transformative initiatives to scale up and revolutionize this sector, enabling it to realize its complete potential as a catalyst for economic growth, employment generation, and cultural diplomacy.

By June 2025, inbound tourism reached 16.5 lakh visitors, while outbound tourism recorded 84.4 lakh travelers.

These activities generated foreign exchange earnings of Rs 51,532 crores. Furthermore, according to provisional estimates from the National Accounts Statistics 2025, the tourism sector contributed Rs 15.73 lakh crore to India's GDP in 2023-24, accounting for 5.22 percent of the total economy.

The sector has also created substantial employment opportunities, with the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) reporting 36.90 million direct employments and 47.72 million indirect employments, collectively representing 13.34 percent of total employment in the economy.

In 2014-15, the Ministry of Tourism launched the Swadesh Darshan Scheme (SDS) to develop thematic tourism circuits throughout the country. Under identified themes, 76 projects worth Rs 5,290.30 crore were sanctioned, with 75 projects now physically completed.