While India charts a new course blending heritage with healing—investing heavily in pilgrimage circuits and medical tourism—the eternal allure of the Taj Mahal refuses to fade.
Towering over every tourism chart, the marble marvel remains the crown jewel of India’s story, drawing pilgrims of beauty from across the globe. And standing not far behind, the timeless silhouettes of Qutub Minar and Agra Fort continue to captivate hearts.
The India Tourism Data Compendium – 2024 reaffirms a familiar truth: the Taj Mahal remains the undisputed monarch of Indian tourism, drawing the highest number of visitors among Centrally Protected Ticketed Monuments in FY 2023–24.
The iconic mausoleum welcomed 60,98,876 domestic that is 11.5 of the total domestic tourists and 6,81,339 million foreign tourists ( 29.4 per cent of total foreign tourists), far outpacing other heritage sites.
Among international travelers, the Qutub Minar (2,20,017) and Agra Fort (2,18,144) emerged as the next most visited monuments after the Taj. Other prominent entries in the top foreign attractions include Humayun’s Tomb, the Step Well at Abhaneri, and Fatehpur Sikri.
For domestic tourists, the Taj Mahal again claimed the top spot, followed by the Sun Temple at Konark, Qutub Minar, Red Fort, and Ellora Caves—rounding off the top five destinations.
Interestingly, the visitor patterns mirror those of FY 2022–23, indicating a continued preference for India’s iconic historical landmarks among both domestic and international tourists.
GDP Contribution
The government data shows that the tourism sector’s contribution to GDP regained the pre-pandemic level of 5 per cent in FY23. The tourism sector created 7.6 crore jobs in FY23. India received 1.8 per cent of world tourism receipts and attained a rank of 14th worldwide in world tourism receipts during 2023.
International tourist arrivals (ITAs) in India dropped dramatically from 1.7 crore in 2019 to just 0.7 crore in 2020, and only marginally increased to 0.8 crore in 2021.
Foreign exchange earnings (FEE) followed the same trend, plummeting from $30 billion in 2019 to $10 billion in 2020, a nearly 67 per cent drop, showing the heavy economic impact on India’s tourism industry.
The post-pandemic recovery began in 2022, with ITAs rebounding to 1.5 crore and FEE rising to $25 billion, indicating improved travel confidence and global mobility.
In 2023, international arrivals almost touched pre-pandemic levels at 1.9 crore, while foreign exchange earnings hit $35 billion, surpassing 2019 levels, likely due to increased spending per visitor and premium tourism offerings.
New Projects
Recognizing the cultural and economic potential of religious and medical tourism, the government prioritizing the development of pilgrimage and heritage sites, with a special focus on destinations linked to Lord Buddha. The PRASHAD scheme will continue enhancing infrastructure and amenities at key spiritual locations. Simultaneously, the Union Budget 2025–26 identifies medical tourism as a key growth driver, with the “Heal in India” initiative set to be promoted in collaboration with the private sector.
Published on April 4, 2025
