India’s tourism sector projected to generate over $59 billion by 2028: Report

New Delhi, Aug 16 The Indian tourism sector is expected to generate over Rs 5,12,356 crore (over $59 billion) by 2028, with foreign tourist arrivals (FTAs) hitting 30.5 million, a report said on Saturday.

Domestic tourism is on fire, expected to double to 5.2 billion visits by 2030 from 2.5 billion in 2024 (13.4 per cent CAGR), said the report by Capitalmind PMS, citing Ministry of Tourism data.

According to the report, India’s travel boom is picking up fast as more money in people’s pockets and better transport are leading to record trips within the country and more foreign visitors for luxury and cultural stays.

Domestic visitor spending grew from Rs 12.74 trillion in 2019 to Rs 14.64 trillion in 2023 and is projected to hit Rs 33.95 trillion by 2034 (7.9 per cent CAGR).

Improved connectivity — air, road, and rail — plus tourism infrastructure investments are supercharging this growth.

Domestic air passenger traffic is set to more than double to 693 million by FY30 from 307 million in FY24, the report stated.

The travel market is set to soar from $75 billion in FY20 to $125 billion by FY27.

Domestic tourism is the real MVP, with Domestic Tourist Visits (DTVs) jumping 44.98 per cent from 1,731.01 million in 2022 to 2,509.63 million in 2023.

Uttar Pradesh (478.53 million) and Tamil Nadu (286.01 million) led the pack, while Maharashtra (3.39 million) and Gujarat (2.81 million) topped foreign tourist visits, the report highlighted.

FTAs reached 18.89 million in 2023, surpassing the 2019 peak of 17.91 million by 5.47 per cent.

As per the report, South Asia (29.02 per cent), North America (21.82 per cent), and Western Europe (20.40 per cent) were the top sources, with leisure travel (46.2 per cent), diaspora visits (26.9 per cent), and business travel (10.3 per cent) driving arrivals.

Foreigners are now skipping Europe for India’s luxury wellness retreats.

Ayurveda resorts, palace stays, yoga spas: all booked out. India’s value for luxury is slowly getting noticed, the report noted.

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