POST-PANDEMIC RECOVERY IN TOURIST ARRIVALS

Posted On: 16 MAR 2026 3:41PM by PIB Delhi Domestic Tourist Visits (DTVs) reached 2.51 billion in 2023, marking a robust post-pandemic recovery. Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTAs) in 2024 touched 9.95 million. The details are Annexed. As per the estimates of the Periodic Labour Force Survey ( PLFS ), the total number of tourism jobs (direct and indirect) during 2023&ndash;24 was 84.63 million (8.46 Crore). The total share of tourism in the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) for 2023-24 (Provisional) is estimated at 5.22%. Safety and Security of tourists is essentially a State subject. However, the Ministry of Tourism has been continuously taking up the matter with all the State Governments and Union Territory (UT) Administrations for setting up of dedicated Tourism Police to strengthen on-ground safety mechanism for tourists. With the efforts of Ministry of Tourism, the State Governments/UT’s viz Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Delhi, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim and Uttar Pradesh have deployed tourist police. Ministry of Tourism has been periodically requesting all State Governments and Union Territories for availing the benefits of the ‘Safe Tourism Destination for Women’ under Nirbhaya fun d which can be utilized for projects specifically designed to improve the safety and security of women tourists. The Ministry of Tourism along with all stakeholders, including the Tourism Departments of all States and UTs, have adopted the 'Code of Conduct for Safe & Honorable Tourism ' which is a set of guidelines to encourage tourism activities to be undertaken with respect to basic rights like dignity, safety and freedom from exploitation of both tourists and local residents, in particular, women and children. Further, The Ministry of Tourism, in association with the Adventure Tour Operators Association of India has formulated Model Adventure Safety Guidelines with an aim to establish a comprehensive and standardized framework to ensure safety in the Adventure Tourism sector across India. These guidelines have been circulated to all States and Union Territories for adoption and formulation / updation of safety protocols. Effective and adequate connectivity is one of the important aspects for developing a tourist destination. Ministry of Tourism is working closely with Ministry of Civil Aviation for improving the air connectivity to important tourist destination and to lesser known/new destinations with high potential. It has coordinated with Ministry of Civil Aviation under their Regional Connectivity Scheme- Ude Desh Ka Aam Naagrik (RCS-UDAN) and is sharing the Viability Gap Funding (VGF) amount for 53 tourism routes identified for this purpose. With a view to bring in more transparency, accountability and improved service delivery, the Ministry of Tourism introduced an online system of receiving, processing and granting approvals for classification of Accommodation Units and recognition of Tourism Service Providers. Applications can be filed at the portal of National Integrated Database of Hospitality Industry (NIDHI+), i.e. nidhi.tourism.gov.in . This online process has also been integrated with a payment gateway. The Ministry of Tourism has launched a Comprehensive Sustainable Tourism Criteria for India (STCI) for three major segments of tourism industry, namely Tour Operators, Accommodation, and Beaches, Backwaters, Lakes and Rivers sectors. The criterion has been adopted by the stakeholders. ANNEXURE List of sanctioned projects under Swadesh Darshan 2.0 as on 15.01.2026 S. No. State Destination Name of the Experience Sanction Year Sanctioned Cost (in ₹ Crore) Amount Authorised (in ₹ Crore) 1 Andhra Pradesh Bapatala Development of Suryalanka Beach Experience 2024-25 97.52 9.75 2 Andhra Pradesh Araku-Lambasingi Borra Cave Experience at Araku 2023-24 29.88 2.99 3 Arunachal Pradesh Mechuka Mechuka Cultural Haat 2023-24 18.48 1.85 4 Arunachal Pradesh Mechuka Mechuka Adventure Park 2023-24 12.75 1.28 5 Arunachal Pradesh Nacho Unlock Nacho Expedition 2023-24 14.02 1.40 6 Assam Kokrajhar Kokrajhar Wetland Experience 2023-24 (Rev March 2025) 26.68 2.67 7 Assam Jorhat Reimagining Cinnamara Tea Estate 2023- 24 (Rev March 2025) 23.88 2.39 8 Bihar Bodh Gaya Development of the Buddhist Meditation & Experience Centre, Bodh Gaya 2024-25 165.44 16.54 9 Chhattisgarh Kawardha Bhoramdeo Corridor Development, Kawardha 2024-25 145.99 14.60 10 DNHDD Daman Daman Convention Centre 2024-25 147.13 --- 11 Goa Porvorim Porvorim Creek Experience 2024-25 24.07 2.41 12 Goa Colva Colva Beach Experience 2024-25 19.89 1.99 13 Haryana Panchkula Development of Adventure Tourism Hub at Tikkar Taal and Adventure Park 2024-25 26.68 2.67 14 Haryana Panchkula Rejuvenation of Yadavindra Garden 2024-25 65.82 6.58 15 Himachal Pradesh Chintpurni Development of Maa Chintpurni Devi Temple, Una 2025-26 56.26 5.63 16 Karnataka Mysuru Ecological Experience Zone 2023-24 18.48 1.85 17 Karnataka Mysuru Tonga ride Heritage experience zone 2023-24 (Rev Jan 2025) 2.72 0.27 18 Karnataka Hampi Setting up of ‘Traveller nooks’ 2023-24 (Rev Jan 2025) 25.64 2.56 19 Kerala Alappuzha Alappuzha: A Global Water Wonderland 2024-25 (Rev Jan 2025) 93.18 9.32 20 Kerala Malampuzha Enhancement of Tourist Experience at Malampuzha Garden and Leisure Park 2024-25 75.87 7.59 21 Kerala Kumarakom Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary Experience 2023-24 13.81 1.38 22 Ladakh Leh Julley Leh Biodiversity Park 2023-24 (Rev May 2025) 23.17 2.32 23 Ladakh Kargil Exploring LOC & Hundarman village Exp 2023-24 (Rev May 2025) 11.91 1.19 24 Lakshadweep Bangaram Development of Eco-Retreat, Adventure, Beach and Mice Experience at Bangaram 2024-25 81.18 8.12 25 Madhya Pradesh Chitrakoot Spiritual experience at Chitrakoot 2023-24 27.22 2.72 26 Madhya Pradesh Gwalior Phoolbagh Experience Zone 2023-24 16.74 1.67 27 Madhya Pradesh Datia Development of Pitambara Peeth Datia 2025-26 44.24 4.42 28 Maharashtra Pune Shivshrusthi Theme Park 2024-25 76.22 7.62 29 Meghalaya Sohra Waterfall Trails Experience 2023-24 (Rev Sep 2025) 27.61 2.76 30 Meghalaya Sohra Meghalayan Age Cave Experience 2023-24 32.45 3.25 31 Mizoram Champhai Eco Resort Experience at Keilungliah, Zote, Ngur&Mualbuhvum, Champhai 2024-25 38.85 3.89 32 Mizoram Champhai Heritage and Cultural Centre, Champhai 2024-25 33.87 3.39 33 Mizoram Aizawl Construction of Conference Centre 2025-26 99.71 9.96 34 Nagaland Chumoukedima Adventure Tourism Experience at Jacob Village, Chumoukediema 2024-25 32.54 3.25 35 Nagaland Chumoukedima Eco-Tourism Exp at Chumoukedima viewpoint 2024-25 7.87 0.79 36 Nagaland Chumoukedima Tribal Cultural Experience at Midway Retreat 2023-24 21.57 2.16 37 Puducherry Karaikal Karaikal beach and waterfront experience 2023-24 <