Suman Billa, Additional Secretary and Director General, Ministry of Tourism, spotlighted a growing structural challenge in India’s tourism landscape: the imbalance between inbound and outbound travel flows.
He highlighted, “We send out about 27–28 million people, while receiving only about 20 million. Inbound generates less than INR 3 lakh crore in foreign exchange, while outbound spends are almost catching up and rising faster.” Recent statistics show that while international tourist arrivals to India have rebounded, reaching an estimated 19.2 million in 2025, outbound travel continues to outpace inbound growth posing risks for foreign exchange earnings and long-term competitiveness.
Billa cautioned that complacency could prove costly, warning, “It is very easy to walk out of the inbound market, but ten times harder to re-enter.” He called on the sector to act strategically, reinvent its offerings, and address commoditization, which is reshaping global tourism markets.
The official also underscored tourism’s unique value as a resilient, job-creating industry shielded from trade tariffs. He urged renewed collaboration between government and industry to position tourism as an engine of India’s economic growth, emphasizing that joint action is necessary to maintain India’s relevance and build future resilience.
