Tourism Ministry

Indian outbound tourism is showing no signs of slowing. Thailand has recorded 1.19 million Indian arrivals in 2026, while Singapore has received nearly half a million visitors.

Foreign visitors are an important source of foreign currency earnings. By one estimate, India’s mop-up from globe-trotters could double. But to draw the world’s tourists for more than just 'sightseeing,' Indian cities must improve.

A sharp fall in arrivals from key markets such as the US and UK pushed foreign tourist arrivals down 14% in April, highlighting the tourism sector's vulnerability to geopolitical disruptions and rising travel costs.

The government plans to develop 500 tribal-managed forest homestays under a tourism scheme in FY27, aiming to generate rural employment and promote indigenous culture. The initiative will offer households up to ₹5 lakh in financial assistance to build or upgrade tourist-ready rooms.

Looking to capitalize on a projected $46.7 billion market by 2030, the government will use the budget to move adventure tourism from a seasonal activity to an investment-ready economic cluster.

A horrific blaze in Goa’s Arpora was symptomatic of India’s weak capacity to enforce rules. This calls for a mindset change to fulfill our tourism potential. Budget tourism, especially religious travel, could yield huge gains if we devote attention to this segment.

Rajasthan was the big gainer of a post-pandemic surge in tourism within India. But with wobbly capital inflows—even if our trade deficit’s looking better—the economy needs an exponential rise in dollar-spending foreign tourists.

Whether gains outweigh the costs of hosting such large-scale sporting events is unclear, but since we’ve already decided on a 2036 Olympics bid, should we win, CWG could serve as a test run.