The tourism sector in India is coming back to life in 2023, more specifically, the rate at which foreign tourists are flocking to the country. This year, the country boasted a 106 percent rise in the number of international travelers in the first half of the year compared to the first part of 2022. This was a result of recent efforts by India to boost the tourism industry in a post-COVID world and show the world what India has to offer.
Key foreign tourist arrival India statistics
- 106% increase in foreign tourists (Jan-Jun 2023 vs 2022)
- 43.80 lakh foreign tourists (Jan-Jun 2023)
- 1,731 million domestic tourists (2022)
- 1.09 crore tourists in Jammu and Kashmir (Jan-Jun 2023)
- 7.16 crore visitors to Kashi Vishwanath Temple (2022)
Foreign Tourist Arrivals
The first bi-matrix of 2023 saw an increase in the arrival of foreign tourists to India. According to official data, 43. The human cases and prevalence of the disease are also known by the number of sicknesses per year with the following regional distribution for the past year: A total number equalling 80 lakh tourists from the international territory arrived in the country in the first half of the financial year, which is a record 106% more than the previous fiscal’s 21. It said that during the comparable period of this year up to the first week of February, Bangladesh received only 24 lakh international arrivals. The above expansion degree demonstrates that India has made a great leap in the tourism sector after the impact of the global pandemic.
Domestic Tourism Growth
Domestic tourism is on the rise, especially in India, which was much affected by the former kind of tourism. As of 2022, the number of domestic tourists was up to 1,731 million, which more than doubled from 677 million in 2021. This steep rise in domestic travel spotlights the fact that Indians are opening up more and more to discover their own country in totality.
Regional Tourism Boost
This is why the picturesque state of Jammu and Kashmir has witnessed a steep rise in the tourist influx. Here, authorities only forecasted arrivals of 1 with foreign visitors in the first half of 2023. 09 crore visitors. This figure is impressive, especially compared with the total of 1 in the material. Tourists are estimated at 8 crores for 2022, demonstrating that 2023 might be a record-breaking year for the area’s tourism.
Religious Tourism Surge
The footfall of visitors at Kashi Vishwanath Temple of Varanasi has tremendously increased after the opening of Kashi Vishwanath Corridor in December 2021. The temple received 7 people in 2022. 170 million devotees and tourists. This remained the trend up to 2023 when 2. In the first five months of the year, India saw 29 crore visitors test positive. After the corridor’s construction, more than 10 crore devotees have visited the temple, which shows that the corridor has greatly helped religious tourism.
Cultural Reawakening
Cutting across all these issues, the increased flow of tourism, especially religious tourism as seen in this temple, has been referred to by the Prime Minister of India, Mr Narendra Modi, as a ‘Culture Awakening.’ This is not a phenomenon limited to Varanasi. Still, it has been observed for the last few years that tourism awareness among people, both domestic and international travelers, has been awakened regarding India’s historical and cultural aspects.
Conclusion
This research paper shows that India’s tourism industry is recovering and gradually growing in 2023. Foreign and domestic tourists have increased in numbers, which shows that people want to visit a country that showcases a variety of cultures and traditions. Thus, India will be sequentially improving its position in the global tourism market if it continues its efforts to upgrade infrastructures and develop various points of interest. Thus, along with the successful development of the tourism industry as one of the country’s major revenue sources, it strengthens bonds and helps people of different nations learn more about each other.
