Leading source countries of foreign tourist arrivals in India in 2021
Sliding foreign revenue
According to the data, most Bangladeshi tourists visited India for leisure travel. Moreover, leisure spending was also the highest contributor to the foreign tourism revenue for India. However, the growth in foreign exchange earnings was the slowest this decade, with just over 4.7 percent in 2018.
Borders dictating tourism
Bangladesh and India share the fifth-longest land border in the world. This might also explain the high tourism influx from Bangladesh to India. Although from the point of view of the Indian government, there seems to be a thin line between tourism and illegal immigration. Managing the complex Indo-Bangladeshi border running through five Indian states is a herculean task, which needs constant monitoring. Risks of cross-border infiltration, illegal migration and smuggling remain major national security challenges for India.