India Received 1.92 Crore International Tourists In 2023, These States Saw Highest Footfalls
Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said that domestic tourism reached pre-pandemic levels in 2023 while Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTAs) are expected to reach pre-pandemic levels by 2024.
India received around 1.92 crore tourists in 2023, while Maharashtra, Gujarat and West Bengal received the highest number of international visitors among states, the centre said in a written response to the Parliament on Monday.
In a written response to Lok Sabha, Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said that India received 1,92,45,817 tourists last year, up from 85.8 lakh in 2022.
Maharashtra received, 33,87,739 foreign tourists, Gujarat 28,06,871, West Bengal 27,06,942 and Delhi 18,28,116, the report showed. According to the data, Lakshadweep (755), Haryana (1,346) and Chhattisgarh (953) received the lowest footfall.
In 2022, Maharashtra received 15,11,623 foreign tourists, West Bengal 10,37,017, Delhi 8,15,713 and Rajasthan 3,96,684.
The minister's written response was regarding queries posted by several Members of Parliament including Brijmohan Agarwal and Aparajita Sarangi regarding the number of foreign tourists visiting the country, whether the government is targeting 100 million foreign tourists in the long run, the number of tourists expected to visit the country in the next five years, and whether the Government has prepared any roadmap to boost the tourism industry in the country.
Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said that domestic tourism reached pre-pandemic levels in 2023 while Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTAs) are expected to reach pre-pandemic levels by 2024.
"Domestic tourism reached pre-pandemic levels in 2023. Additionally, based on data from the Bureau of Immigration (BOI), Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTAs) are expected to reach pre-pandemic levels by 2024," the written response presented to the Parliament stated.
"No projection has been made regarding the expected number of tourists in the next five years," the government statement said.
The government said that the Ministry of Tourism launched its Swadesh Darshan scheme in the year 2014-15 under which it provided financial assistance to states and Union Territories for development of tourism Infrastructure in the country.
"The financial assistance is provided in consultation with States/UT Administrations etc. Since its inception in 2014-15 till 2018-19, a total number of 76 projects under 14 thematic circuits, have been sanctioned in the country for a revised sanction amount of Rs.5294.11 crore and Rs. 4865.8 crore has been released," it added.
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