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Domestic tourism in India - statistics & facts

India, a place to explore and revel in cultural and geographic beauty, has exquisite sights spread all over the country. There has been a paradigm shift in the concept of domestic tourism over time with the growing middle-class and its disposable incomes. The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic shifted many paradigms, but domestic tourism saw a faster recovery compared to international tourism in the country.

The Indian tourism industry was one of the largest service industries in the country in terms of its contribution to GDP and foreign exchange earnings, in addition to being a diverse employment provider. The domestic spending within this sector grew significantly in recent years and was expected to reach nearly 90 percent by 2028 in comparison to international tourism. Pre-COVID years recorded domestic tourist visits in the billions annually.

Travel destinations

It comes as no surprise that the iconic Taj Mahal in Agra was the most visited monument for domestic tourists as well as international tourists. It is followed by political monuments, like the Red Fort, or religious monuments such as the Surya-temple in Konark. When it comes to leisure travel, the coastal state of Goa attracted the masses. With many monuments closed and people trying to avoid crowded areas, domestic travelers are turning towards forests and mountainous regions for recreation, thereby reviving an old traveling trend on the subcontinent. While the fertile and densely populated plains had been the political power bases for centuries, some elite groups developed the habit of spending the hot summers in more pleasant environments. The Mughal elites chose Kashmir, the British colonial administration had a soft spot for turning villages into hill stations for recreation: Shimla, Manali, or Ooty (Udhagamandalam) to name only a few. Luxury travel and wellness vacations were emerged before the pandemic and expected to strengthen over the coming years.

Recovering from the effects of COVID-19

The travel service market became more professional and has diversified in recent years. Regulations of travel operators and agencies increased, the online market emerged as a major service point, and successful startups like OYO Rooms took the market by surprise. As the whole sector experienced difficulties amidst the pandemic, the government responded with funding programs as well as with tailored initiatives, like the system for assessment, awareness and training for hospitality industry (SAATHI). Rising occupancy rates in hotels across India between COVID-19 waves raised hopes for partial recovery of the entire tourism sector.
This text provides general information. Statista assumes no liability for the information given being complete or correct. Due to varying update cycles, statistics can display more up-to-date data than referenced in the text.
Published by Sandhya Keelery, Sep 22, 2022

Key insights

Total contribution of travel and tourism to GDP
178bn USD
Domestic visitor spending
151.1bn USD
Segment with highest revenue share
Leisure travel
Get more insights

Editor’s Picks Current statistics on this topic

Number of domestic tourist visits in India in 2020, by leading state (in millions)

Travel, Tourism & Hospitality

Number of domestic tourists in India 2020, by leading state

Share of domestic tourist visits in India in 2020, by leading state

Travel, Tourism & Hospitality

Share of domestic tourists in India 2020, by leading state

Leading ticketed monuments in India in financial year 2022, by number of domestic visitors (in 1,000s)

Destinations

Number of domestic visitors to ticketed monuments India FY 2022

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