In a landmark rebound for India’s journey and tourism sector, the World Journey & Tourism Council (WTTC) has revealed that worldwide customer spending in India soared to an all-time excessive of ₹3.1 trillion in 2024 — a 9% improve over pre-pandemic ranges in 2019. This record-breaking surge not solely reaffirms India’s place as a prime international vacation spot but additionally alerts a turning level within the nation’s tourism restoration, as soon as closely reliant on home journey.
After years of pandemic-induced disruption, the newest WTTC Economic Impact Research (EIR) reveals a sturdy return of worldwide journey. India welcomed 20 million overseas vacationers in 2024, surpassing 2019 figures by 2.3 million. With customer spending reaching ₹3.1 trillion (USD 36.8 billion), up from ₹2.8 trillion in 2019, this inflow highlights rising international confidence in India’s journey ecosystem and the varied attraction of its locations — from religious and wellness tourism to luxurious and experiential journey.
Projections for 2025 are even stronger, with worldwide customer spending anticipated to the touch ₹3.2 trillion, bolstered by growing air connectivity, digital visa techniques, and rising international curiosity in India’s heritage and pure belongings.
Home demand nonetheless the spine
Whereas worldwide arrivals make headlines, home tourism continues to be the pillar of India’s journey financial system. In 2024, home customer spending hit a staggering ₹15.5 trillion (USD 185.6 billion), 22% increased than 2019 ranges. This development is anticipated to rise additional to ₹16.8 trillion in 2025, pushed by youthful demographics, elevated disposable incomes, and a stronger post-pandemic choice for native exploration.
In line with the report, home vacationers contributed practically 84% of the full customer spending in 2024, underscoring their foundational position within the nation’s tourism resilience.
Complete tourism contribution reaches ₹21 trillion
India’s whole Journey & Tourism GDP contribution in 2024 stood at ₹20.9 trillion (USD 249.3 billion), a 20% leap over 2019, accounting for about 6.6% of the nationwide financial system. WTTC forecasts an extra rise to ₹22.5 trillion (USD 268.7 billion) in 2025. By 2035, the sector is anticipated to just about double to ₹41.9 trillion (USD 501.1 billion), contributing an estimated 10.9% to the nationwide GDP.
Such development trajectories are anticipated to be powered by each tourism-driven infrastructure initiatives — together with sensible mobility, high-speed rail, and airport expansions — and the rise of small and medium tourism enterprises.
Tourism additionally emerged as an important employment generator, supporting a report 46.5 million jobs in 2024 — 9.1% of whole employment in India. WTTC anticipates this determine to surpass 48 million in 2025 and climb to just about 64 million by 2035.
This job creation comes at a time when automation and AI are altering conventional employment landscapes. The tourism sector, which calls for human-centric providers, thus presents important employment alternatives throughout demographics and geographies.
Enterprise journey again on the map
A noteworthy perception from the WTTC report is the revival of enterprise journey. India’s mixed home and worldwide enterprise journey spending in 2024 hit ₹1.1 trillion — exceeding 2019 ranges by 2.6%. As India continues to be a hub for international commerce, innovation, and startup exercise, this phase is anticipated to play an more and more necessary position in journey restoration.
Regardless of these encouraging developments, WTTC has raised issues over current reductions in authorities funding for abroad tourism promotion. Julia Simpson, President & CEO of WTTC, known as for renewed coverage consideration.
The World Journey & Tourism Council (WTTC) initiatives worldwide customer spending will hit a report USD2.1 trillion in 2025, signalling continued international development regardless of financial headwinds. The sector is anticipated to contribute USD11.7 trillion to international GDP and help 371 million jobs. Nonetheless, restoration stays uneven throughout areas, with markets just like the US and China exhibiting slower development in comparison with surging locations resembling Saudi Arabia, France, and Spain.
“India’s Journey & Tourism sector is experiencing unprecedented development… however visa delays and underinvestment in promotion may hinder long-term momentum,” she stated.
Simpson particularly highlighted the necessity for simplification of India’s e-visa and visa-on-arrival processes, pointing to extended delays in markets just like the US, the place appointments stay unavailable till 2026.
Making it simpler to go to India is without doubt one of the quickest methods to unlock additional worldwide arrivals and spending,” she added.
New global-local alliance to strengthen advocacy
To bolster advocacy and streamline tourism insurance policies, WTTC has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the World Journey & Tourism Council – India Initiative (WTTCII). The partnership is designed to reinforce India’s international tourism voice by combining WTTC’s worldwide affect with WTTCII’s home networks.
This collaboration will give attention to aligning India’s tourism priorities with worldwide benchmarks, strengthening sustainability practices, and constructing a unified coverage framework to help the sector’s speedy development.
With India projected to turn out to be one of many world’s prime three tourism economies by 2035, the WTTC report paints a hopeful image. The mixture of rising home demand, record-setting worldwide arrivals, and strategic industry-government partnerships locations India at a novel vantage level in international tourism.
Nonetheless, sustaining this development would require focused funding in tourism infrastructure, tech-enabled providers, and international advertising and marketing — areas that can decide whether or not India can absolutely realise its ambition of being a tourism powerhouse within the years to come back.
