Himachal Pradesh is facing a significant decline in foreign tourist visits (FTVs), recording just 62,806 international arrivals in 2023—only 0.33% of India’s total 1.92 crore foreign arrivals. Despite a slight improvement from 29,333 FTVs in 2022, the numbers remain far below pre-pandemic levels, when the state welcomed over 3.5 lakh foreign tourists annually.
According to the Ministry of Tourism, Himachal lags behind smaller states like Goa (4,52,692 FTVs), Uttarakhand (1,43,027), and Sikkim. In contrast, Maharashtra led the rankings with 33.87 lakh foreign arrivals, followed by Gujarat with 28.06 lakh. The steep decline is attributed to the post-pandemic slowdown and inadequate support from central tourism schemes.
Local tourism stakeholders have raised concerns over limited financial aid under initiatives like ‘Swadesh Darshan,’ ‘Eco-Tourism,’ and ‘PRASHAD.’ Reports suggest Himachal received only Rs 64.54 crore under Swadesh Darshan, while other states received up to Rs 2,000 crore. Additionally, the state has been largely overlooked in promotional campaigns such as ‘Dekho Apna Desh’ and ‘Bharat Parv.’
Despite a strong recovery in domestic tourism with 1.5 crore visitors in 2023, foreign arrivals remain at just 20% of pre-COVID levels. Experts urge stronger marketing efforts and better infrastructure support to revive Himachal’s international tourism sector.
