India’s inbound tourism sector is expected to witness limited growth in 2026, with foreign tourist arrivals projected to remain broadly unchanged from the previous year. Industry stakeholders have cited rising travel costs, geopolitical tensions and inadequate international marketing as key factors affecting the country’s appeal among overseas travellers.
The Federation of Associations in Indian Tourism and Hospitality (FAITH) estimates that India could receive between 8 million and 9 million foreign tourists in 2026. The projection comes after the country recorded 9.15 million foreign tourist arrivals in 2025, marking an 8.1% decline from the previous year and a 16.3% shortfall compared with pre-pandemic levels in 2019.
India’s inbound tourism performance also remained under pressure in April 2026. The country welcomed approximately 534,000 foreign tourists during the month, down 14.3% from April 2025 and 31% below the corresponding month in 2019.
Geopolitical tensions and limited promotion weigh on demand
Industry experts have attributed the subdued outlook partly to conflicts involving Iran and Ukraine, which have contributed to higher fuel prices and international airfares. The limited visibility of India in overseas tourism markets has also emerged as a concern.
Aashish Gupta, consulting chief executive of FAITH, highlighted the combined impact of geopolitical uncertainty, rising travel expenses and the absence of sustained international brand-building campaigns.
Rajeev Kohli, joint managing director of inbound tourism specialist Creative Travel, said interest in India among overseas travel agents and tour operators remained exceptionally weak. He emphasised that projected arrivals of 8–9 million would still leave the country below its pre-pandemic performance, underscoring the need for a stronger promotional strategy.
Kohli also suggested that an investment of around ₹50 crore in targeted social media campaigns, locally produced promotional content and AI-generated videos could help improve India's visibility and support inbound tour operators.
Industry expects a possible recovery in the upcoming season
Despite the challenges, some industry representatives anticipate improved demand during the upcoming tourism season.
Sunil Mishra, managing director of Cosmos Travels, projected a potential 10–15% increase in inbound tourism compared with the corresponding season last year, provided global travel conditions remain favourable.
Mishra also pointed to visa-related difficulties affecting business from China, estimating that around 20% of inbound business was held up by these issues. He expressed hope that the situation would improve following the 18th BRICS Summit scheduled in New Delhi on September 12–13, 2026.
International marketing remains a key priority
India’s strong domestic tourism market continues to provide support to the wider travel industry. However, stakeholders believe the country needs to attract a larger share of international visitors to realise its tourism potential.
Puneet Chhatwal, chairman of FAITH and chief executive of Indian Hotels Company, had previously highlighted the opportunity to strengthen India's position in the global tourism market through greater international outreach.
Industry leaders argue that consistent destination marketing, stronger digital campaigns and improved engagement with overseas travel trade partners will be essential to increasing India's visibility among international travellers.
With foreign arrivals still below pre-pandemic levels, the sector's performance in the coming months will depend on global travel conditions, visa facilitation, and renewed efforts to promote India as a competitive international destination.
#news #touristarrival #india #hightravelcost #lowtouristarrival
