Tourism Sees Strong Growth in 2024; Check Out Top 10 Most Visited States

Travel today doesn’t look anything like it did years ago — right? What was once seen as a luxury or an occasional escape has now become a regular part of life. With stronger connectivity, affordable transport, and a growing curiosity to explore new cultures, travel has become one of the most fulfilling life experiences — and India is witnessing that shift firsthand.

Between 2011 and 2024, India's tourism industry grew consistently, recording a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.89% across all states and union territories. The momentum continued strongly in 2024, with 2,948.19 million domestic tourist visits, as highlighted in the India Tourism Data Compendium 2025 released by the Ministry of Tourism.

In 2024, overall domestic tourism saw a 17.51% increase, with just five states contributing over 60% of all recorded visits. While the sector experienced steady progress until 2019, the pandemic caused a sharp decline in 2020. However, the recovery has been impressive: India saw tourism growth bounce back by 11.05% in 2021, 155.45% in 2022, 45.04% in 2023, and 17.51% in 2024.

📍 Regional Trends at a Glance

1. Northern India captured the highest share, led by Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Himachal Pradesh — together drawing 894.93 million domestic visitors, along with 2.269 million foreign travellers.
2. Southern states including Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh collectively attracted 901.67 million domestic visits, amounting to over 30% of total national traffic.
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Some regions also registered exceptional growth. Chandigarh witnessed the steepest rise with an estimated 173% increase in domestic visitors, followed by Andaman & Nicobar Islands at around 120% and Mizoram at nearly 102%.