India’s central bank recently released the 10th edition of its Handbook of Statistics on Indian States. Among its new additions is state-wise data on domestic tourist visits. Goa, despite its salience as a holiday spot, is a small player on this chart, with just under 10 million visitors in 2024.
What stands out are the post-pandemic travel gains made by large states. Uttar Pradesh recorded nearly 647 million arrivals, up almost 21% over pre-covid year 2019, while the next biggest draw Tamil Nadu got around 307 million, a 38% drop. Karnataka’s count last year was about 305 million, a 34% jump, and that of Andhra Pradesh was 290 million, up 23%.
The big winner, however, was fifth-placed Rajasthan, whose 2024 tourist tally was 231 million, a dramatic 340% leap from its 2019 figure. While the travel motives of people can’t be guessed, Rajasthan’s old-world charm could claim some credit for its visitor boom.
What we need, though, are soaring foreign arrivals. November’s goods import compression and export growth compared to last year have helped keep our trade gap in check. But with capital inflows a story of fits and starts, we must boost forex earnings in old-fashioned ways too.