Foreign tourist arrivals to India drop for 1st time since
India saw a 9.4% drop in foreign tourist arrivals last year, falling to 90.2 lakh from nearly one crore in 2024.
The main reason? Visitors from Bangladesh dropped dramatically, down by over 70% after new visa rules and political tensions between the two countries.
A closer look at the numbers
If you leave out Bangladesh, things look brighter: overall foreign tourist arrivals rose by about 4%, while major source markets such as the US UK Australia, and Canada remained among the leading contributors.
So while the overall numbers dipped, interest from many countries is still growing.
Tourism's impact on India's economy
Tourism brought in $31.3 billion in 2025—less than in 2024 ($35.02 billion) but still higher than pre-COVID levels.
The dip highlights how much tourism matters for India's economy and how global events can make a big difference.