Foreign tourist arrivals (FTAs) in India from January to June 2024 reached nearly 4.78 million, with Bangladesh and the US topping the list of source countries, according to data released by the Ministry of Tourism. This data was shared last week on the occasion of World Tourism Day, highlighting a significant recovery in inbound tourism, though it remains below pre-pandemic levels.
The ministry provided figures for both June 2024 and the entire January-June period. In June alone, FTAs stood at 7,06,045, marking a 9% increase from 6,48,008 in June 2023. However, the figures show a 2.8% decline compared to June 2019, when arrivals were 7,26,446. The overall FTAs during the first half of 2024 totaled 47,78,374, reflecting a 9.1% growth over the 43,80,239 visitors recorded in the same period of 2023. However, this still represents a 9.8% decrease compared to the pre-pandemic high of 52,96,025 in January-June 2019.
According to the ministry’s data, the top five source countries for FTAs during January-June 2024 were Bangladesh (21.55%), the US (17.56%), the UK (9.82%), Canada (4.5%), and Australia (4.32%). The trend for June was consistent, with Bangladesh accounting for 28.49% of visitors, followed by the US at 22.59%, the UK at 6.10%, Australia at 3.74%, and Canada at 3.01%.
Leisure holidays and recreation formed the primary reasons for inbound tourism, as per the data. However, the situation in Bangladesh has since shifted dramatically. A student-led uprising in the country, beginning in early July, culminated in the fall of the Sheikh Hasina-led government in August. Due to the political turmoil, India temporarily suspended the full issuance of visas to Bangladeshi citizens, which could potentially impact future tourist arrival numbers from the neighboring country.
Despite the challenges, India’s tourism sector is slowly rebounding, with notable contributions from countries like the US and the UK. Industry experts remain optimistic about further recovery, although achieving pre-pandemic levels may take time.
