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Time of India
2 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Tourism hits Rs 22 lakh crore runway — India's travel boom ready for takeoff
Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Popular in Services 1. India's international visitor spend soars to record highs: WTTC The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) is forecasting a 'record-breaking' year for India's travel and tourism sector this year, with its economic contribution set to reach over '22 lakh crore in 2025, whilst employment in the sector is expected to reach more than 48 visitor spending is expected to reach '3.2 lakh crore, whilst spending from domestic travellers is set to hit '16 lakh stated that by 2035, travel and tourism's contribution to the economy is forecast to almost double, at just under '42 lakh crore, with the sector employing almost 64 million released on Tuesday from WTTC showed that international visitor spends in India reached a record '3.1 lakh crore in 2024, 9% above the previous peak of to WTTC's latest Economic Impact Research (EIR), while domestic travel has remained a 'vital force', with spending soaring to '15.5 lakh crore, (22% above 2019 levels), the revival of international tourism is now propelling the sector into a 'bold' new era of and tourism contributed almost '21 lakh crore to the Indian economy last year, 20% more than 2019 sector also supported an all-time high of almost 46.5 million jobs, equivalent to 9.1% of total employment across country also welcomed 20 million international visitors in 2024, 2.3 million more than while overall international visitor numbers went up considerably last year, as per WTTC research, the numbers and the growth, compared to pre pandemic levels, seem to have been driven considerably by visits by non-resident Indians. As per data released by the ministry of tourism, India received more than 9.65 million foreign tourists in calendar year 2024, rising 1.4% from 9.52 million in 2023 but declining 11.6% from 10.93 million in said it calls for continued investment and targeted policy support, and would urge the government to reconsider its recent decision to reduce funding for overseas tourism promotion."India's travel & tourism sector is experiencing unprecedented growth, with international visitor numbers now at record highs after a period of strong domestic reliance. We strongly support the government's plans to simplify the e-visa process. Making it easier to visit India is one of the fastest ways to unlock further international arrivals and spending," said Julia Simpson, president and CEO, WTTC. "While visa on arrival and e-visa systems are in place, reciprocal policies and long delays for key markets like the US, where appointments are reportedly unavailable until 2026 continue to hinder tourists," she global tourism body's research also reveals India's business travel is experiencing record growth, with combined domestic and international spending hitting '1.1 lakh crore last year, surpassing the 2019 peak by 2.6%.The council said India is 'well-placed' to become one of the world's most dynamic tourism economies, with its dynamic mix of heritage, natural beauty, and modern innovation, and that it calls on the government to match the sector's resilience and ambition with 'clear', 'consistent' policy support.
Economic Times
2 days ago
- Business
- Economic Times
India's international visitor spend soars to record highs: WTTC
Live Events (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel The World Travel & Tourism Council ( WTTC ) is forecasting a 'record-breaking' year for India 's travel and tourism sector this year, with its economic contribution set to reach over Rs 22 trillion in 2025, whilst employment in the sector is expected to reach more than 48 visitor spend is expected to reach Rs 3.2 trillion, whilst spending from domestic travellers is set to hit Rs 16 stated by 2035, travel and tourism's contribution to the national economy is forecast to almost double, to reach just under Rs 42 trillion, with the sector employing almost 64 million released Tuesday from the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) released Tuesday stated that international visitor spends in India reached a record Rs 3.1 trillion in 2024, 9% above the previous peak of to WTTC's latest Economic Impact Research (EIR), while domestic travel has remained a 'vital force', with spending soaring to Rs 15.5 trillion, (22% above 2019 levels), the revival of international tourism is now propelling the sector into a 'bold' new era of and tourism contributed almost Rs 21 trillion to the Indian economy last year, 20% ahead of 2019 sector also supported an all-time high of almost 46.5 million jobs, equivalent to 9.1% of total employment across country also welcomed 20 million international visitors in 2024 - 2.3 million more than while overall international visitor numbers went up considerably last year, as per WTTC research, the numbers and the growth compared to pre pandemic levels seems to have been driven considerably by visits by non-resident per data released by the ministry of tourism, India received more than 9.65 million foreign tourists in calendar year 2024, rising 1.4% from 9.52 million in 2023 but declining 11.6% from 10.93 million in said it calls for continued investment and targeted policy support, and would urge the government to reconsider its recent decision to reduce funding for overseas tourism promotion.'India's Travel & Tourism sector is experiencing unprecedented growth, with international visitor numbers now at record highs after a period of strong domestic reliance. We strongly support the government's plans to simplify the e-visa process. Making it easier to visit India is one of the fastest ways to unlock further international arrivals and spending,' said Julia Simpson, WTTC President and CEO. "While visa on arrival and e visa systems are in place, reciprocal policies and long delays for key markets like the US, where appointments are reportedly unavailable until 2026 continue to hinder tourists," she global tourism body's research also reveals India's business travel is experiencing record growth, with combined domestic and international spending hitting Rs 1.1 trillion last year, surpassing the 2019 peak by 2.6%.The council said India is 'well-placed' to become one of the world's most dynamic tourism economies, with its dynamic mix of heritage, natural beauty, and modern innovation, and that it calls on the government to match the sector's resilience and ambition with 'clear', 'consistent' policy support.
Time of India
2 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
India's international visitor spend soars to record highs: WTTC
India's travel and tourism anticipates unprecedented growth. The sector's economic contribution may reach Rs 22 trillion in 2025. It is expected to generate over 48 million jobs. International visitor spending could hit Rs 3.2 trillion. Domestic travel remains strong, propelling the sector forward. The government is urged to simplify e-visa processes. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads The World Travel & Tourism Council ( WTTC ) is forecasting a 'record-breaking' year for India 's travel and tourism sector this year, with its economic contribution set to reach over Rs 22 trillion in 2025, whilst employment in the sector is expected to reach more than 48 visitor spend is expected to reach Rs 3.2 trillion, whilst spending from domestic travellers is set to hit Rs 16 stated by 2035, travel and tourism's contribution to the national economy is forecast to almost double, to reach just under Rs 42 trillion, with the sector employing almost 64 million released Tuesday from the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) released Tuesday stated that international visitor spends in India reached a record Rs 3.1 trillion in 2024, 9% above the previous peak of to WTTC's latest Economic Impact Research (EIR), while domestic travel has remained a 'vital force', with spending soaring to Rs 15.5 trillion, (22% above 2019 levels), the revival of international tourism is now propelling the sector into a 'bold' new era of and tourism contributed almost Rs 21 trillion to the Indian economy last year, 20% ahead of 2019 sector also supported an all-time high of almost 46.5 million jobs, equivalent to 9.1% of total employment across country also welcomed 20 million international visitors in 2024 - 2.3 million more than while overall international visitor numbers went up considerably last year, as per WTTC research, the numbers and the growth compared to pre pandemic levels seems to have been driven considerably by visits by non-resident per data released by the ministry of tourism, India received more than 9.65 million foreign tourists in calendar year 2024, rising 1.4% from 9.52 million in 2023 but declining 11.6% from 10.93 million in said it calls for continued investment and targeted policy support, and would urge the government to reconsider its recent decision to reduce funding for overseas tourism promotion.'India's Travel & Tourism sector is experiencing unprecedented growth, with international visitor numbers now at record highs after a period of strong domestic reliance. We strongly support the government's plans to simplify the e-visa process. Making it easier to visit India is one of the fastest ways to unlock further international arrivals and spending,' said Julia Simpson, WTTC President and CEO. "While visa on arrival and e visa systems are in place, reciprocal policies and long delays for key markets like the US, where appointments are reportedly unavailable until 2026 continue to hinder tourists," she global tourism body's research also reveals India's business travel is experiencing record growth, with combined domestic and international spending hitting Rs 1.1 trillion last year, surpassing the 2019 peak by 2.6%.The council said India is 'well-placed' to become one of the world's most dynamic tourism economies, with its dynamic mix of heritage, natural beauty, and modern innovation, and that it calls on the government to match the sector's resilience and ambition with 'clear', 'consistent' policy support.
Mint
2 days ago
- Business
- Mint
India's tourism boom: Sector to double to ₹42 trillion by 2035, driven mainly by domestic travel, says WTTC
Travel and tourism will contribute almost ₹42 trillion and about 64 million jobs to India's economy by 2035, but the country will need to invest more heavily in infrastructure and destination marketing to stay competitive and maintain the growth momentum in the sector, the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) said. The sector has bounced back, with international visitor spending touching an all-time high of ₹3.1 trillion in 2024, beating pre-pandemic levels, according to new data from the WTTC. Domestic travellers pushed the total spending within the country to ₹15.5 trillion last year, up 22% from 2019, according to the council's latest Economic Impact Research. The report shows a significant recovery in international travel following the pandemic, which had shifted focus largely to domestic tourism. WTTC president and CEO Julia Simpson, who's in India this week, told Mint that India has what it takes to become one of the world's most exciting travel economies—but now's the time to market it better. Also Read | Foreign tourists return to Taj Mahal, but India's international tourism still trails 'It's important for India to tell its story to the world," Simpson said. "There is a call for spending more on marketing the country and some people are concerned there is not enough marketing spends but I'm confident that India will do that because it's very important, as a country grows its infrastructure, to start telling its stories, of new destinations that people can travel to and so on. There are destinations in India that are already very sophisticated, and people come to them, but you need to market the new ones." She said she is confident India will invest more in infrastructure and destination marketing. The London-based council, which represents over 200 CEOs of the world's top travel and tourism companies, said India is on track to become one of the world's most dynamic tourism economies in the next decade or so, led by domestic travellers. But it also stressed that consistent policy support and stronger global marketing will be key to sustaining that growth. Growth momentum It added that in total, the sector contributed almost ₹21 trillion to the country's GDP in 2024—about 6.6% of the economy—and supported a record 46.5 million jobs. By comparison, tourism and culture minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat had told the Lok Sabha in November 2024 that tourism accounted for a combined 5% of India's GDP in 2023—2.6% through direct contributions and 2.4% through indirect impact. The momentum is expected to continue. WTTC projects the sector's contribution will rise to over ₹22 trillion in 2025, with jobs crossing 48 million. India hosted 20 million international visitors in 2024—an increase of 2.3 million since 2019. Business travel, too, showed signs of a revival, reaching ₹1.1 trillion last year—2.6% higher than its 2019 peak. Also Read | In charts: India's tourism sector stands at a crossroads Simpson said India's greatest asset right now is its robust domestic travel base. 'India has a very, very strong domestic travel market, similar to China and the US, and domestic markets are actually very important to the growth of tourism of a sector because it gives a lot of resilience to the sector. All big economies need strong domestic figures," she said. She also pointed to the rise in high-spending Indian-origin travellers. 'It's a very significant and serious economy now and so many countries globally are now vying for Indian tourists, who also become their own brand ambassadors and bring in more travellers," she said Simpson added that Thailand and Vietnam market themselves so well compared with other countries and India is going to do it "in its own way as it is a very significant and serious economy." 'I'm very positive about India. More people will come as the economy grows," she said. Seamless travel The country has also taken steps to make travel more seamless for many countries, she said, though it still trails regional peers in visibility and global promotion, also because India's international marketing budgets or the Incredible India campaign now has a negligible ₹3 crore for this fiscal year. 'But investing more on that side is worth it. It's not just about the seamlessness of it but also that it indicates to the traveller how sophisticated and innovative you are as a country," she added. In 2023, the sector had already begun to recover, contributing ₹16.5 trillion to the country's GDP, with domestic spending at ₹12.6 trillion and international visitors contributing ₹2 trillion. Employment in the sector reached 39 million, WTTC said. Also Read | This hotel chain doubles down on spiritual tourism, luxury & metro hubs What's changed since then is the scale. But the WTTC cautioned that the next decade won't see the same sharp spikes. International visitor spending in 2025 is projected to rise to ₹3.2 trillion—just ₹10,000 crore more than this year. Business travel, while improving, is still only inching forward. This week, the council and its India chapter, WTTCII signed another memorandum of understanding to strengthen their ties for future collaboration and possibly host a global summit in India in the next few years.
Hospitality Net
20-05-2025
- Business
- Hospitality Net
International Traveller Spend in the UAE to Reach a Record AED 228BN This Year, Reveals WTTC
Abu Dhabi, UAE - Latest data from the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has revealed that international visitor spend in the United Arab Emirates is set to reach a record AED 228.5BN in 2025, 37% above the previous peak of 2019. The global tourism body's annual Economic Impact Research (EIR) shows that Travel & Tourism in the UAE is set for another record year in 2025, with the sector forecast to contribute AED 267.5BN to the national economy, accounting for almost 13% of GDP. According to the research, by the end of the year, Travel & Tourism will also support more than 925,000 jobs. Domestic visitor spend is also projected to reach a record high at AED 60BN - 47% above 2019, highlighting the continued strength of the local travel market. These milestones reflect the UAE's leadership in driving innovation, sustainability, and seamless connectivity across its cities and attractions, powered by initiatives such as smart city development, world-class infrastructure, and a laser focus on visitor experience. The UAE continues to lead the way in global Travel & Tourism. From cutting-edge smart cities to exceptional hospitality and seamless visa systems, the country is a model of how strategic vision drives economic growth. With initiatives like the Tourism Strategy 2031 and the National Tourism Charter, the UAE is building a future-ready sector rooted in sustainability and innovation. With strong leadership and public-private alignment, 2025 is set to mark yet another chapter in the UAE's remarkable tourism success story. Julia Simpson, WTTC President & CEO A look back at 2024 According to the data, in 2024 the sector contributed AED 257.3BN to the UAE economy and supported 898,600 jobs, making up nearly one in eight jobs in the country. Spending from international travellers reach AED 217.3BN, while domestic visitor spend injected AED 57.6BN into the national economy. What Does the Next Decade Look Like? Looking ahead to the next 10 years, WTTC forecasts the sector will contribute nearly AED 287.8BN to the economy by 2035, representing 10.4% of the national GDP. The workforce is expected to exceed 1MN jobs, underscoring the sector's central role in economic diversification and national growth. Across the Middle East The Middle Eastern Travel & Tourism sector continues to grow at pace. In 2024, the region contributed $341.9BN to GDP and supported 7.3MN jobs. WTTC is forecasting that Travel & Tourism across the region will continue to grow throughout 2025 with the GDP contribution set to reach $367.3BN. Jobs are forecast to reach 7.7MN. Jobs supported by the sector rose to 898,600, making up nearly one in eight jobs in the UAE. For more information and to access the full factsheet, including WTTC's latest Environmental Social Research (ESR), please visit WTTC's Research Hub. About WTTC The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) represents the global travel & tourism private sector. Members include 200 CEOs, Chairs and Presidents of the world's leading travel & tourism companies from all geographies covering all industries. For more than 30 years, WTTC has been committed to raising the awareness of governments and the public of the economic and social significance of the travel & tourism sector. View source
