India has established itself as one of the world’s fastest-growing Travel & Tourism economies, powered by a thriving domestic market, major infrastructure investment and an extraordinary tourism offering that keeps international visitors in the country longer than in almost any other destination.
According to new research from the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), India’s next opportunity is to build on this strong foundation by attracting a greater share of international visitor spending. Doing so could further strengthen the country’s position as one of the world’s leading Travel & Tourism destinations.
WTTC’s latest Economic Impact Research (EIR), sponsored by Chase Travel, Lead Research Partner, shows that Travel & Tourism generated $263.6 billion for India’s economy in 2025 and supported 46.2 million jobs. The figures underline the sector’s vital contribution to the country’s continued economic success.
Meanwhile, Travel & Tourism expanded by an impressive 7.3% in 2025, significantly outperforming the global average of 4.1%. As a result, the sector continues to demonstrate its importance as a key engine of India’s economic growth.
India’s Domestic Tourism Market Drives Growth
India’s domestic tourism market remains one of the strongest in the world. Domestic visitor spending reached $203 billion in 2025, accounting for 86% of all Travel & Tourism spending and increasing by more than 10% year on year.
This exceptional domestic strength provides a solid platform for future expansion. At the same time, international visitor spending currently accounts for around 14% of total tourism expenditure. That imbalance highlights a significant opportunity for India to capture a larger share of growing global travel demand.
Overall, Travel & Tourism now contributes 6.6% of India’s GDP and supports more than one in every ten jobs across the country.
India’s Tourism Economy Set for Further Expansion
WTTC forecasts that India’s Travel & Tourism sector will continue to outperform the wider economy in 2026. Travel & Tourism GDP is expected to grow by 8.5%, lifting its economic contribution to $286.1 billion while supporting 48.1 million jobs.
Looking further ahead, India’s Travel & Tourism sector is projected to almost double in size over the next decade. By 2036, it is expected to reach $527 billion, while India could rise from the world’s 10th-largest Travel & Tourism economy to fourth place globally.
International visitor spending is also forecast to grow by almost 60% over the same period. This growth reflects India’s enormous potential to attract more high-value international travellers.
That opportunity is reinforced by one of India’s greatest tourism strengths: international visitors already spend an average of 18.5 days in the country. This is among the longest average lengths of stay globally and reflects the depth, diversity and richness of India’s tourism offering.
Gloria Guevara, President & CEO of WTTC, said:
“India has every ingredient to become one of the world’s great international tourism success stories. The country has built one of the strongest domestic Travel & Tourism markets anywhere in the world, invested significantly in infrastructure and offers visitors an extraordinary diversity of experiences, reflected in one of the longest average visitor stays globally.
“These achievements deserve recognition. They provide an exceptionally strong foundation for the next phase of growth.
“The opportunity now is to build on this success by attracting an even greater share of international travel. Through continued collaboration between government and the private sector, enhanced connectivity, seamless and secure travel experiences, and continued progress on visa facilitation, India can unlock even greater economic benefits for communities across the country while strengthening its position as one of the world’s leading Travel & Tourism destinations.”
Unlocking India’s Next Chapter of Tourism Growth
WTTC believes India’s domestic tourism market will remain the foundation of future success. Building on this strength, targeted measures to encourage international demand could further enhance the country’s global competitiveness and economic impact.
To realise this opportunity, WTTC believes continued collaboration between government and the private sector should focus on:
- Strengthening government-industry partnerships to encourage investment and accelerate sustainable tourism growth.
- Continuing to improve visa facilitation, including e-visa processes that simplify applications while maintaining robust security standards.
- Expanding international air connectivity to improve access from key global source markets.
- Investing in world-class transport infrastructure, including projects such as the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail corridor, to improve access to emerging destinations.
- Enhancing digital public infrastructure and visitor services to create more seamless travel experiences.
- Increasing international destination marketing to raise awareness in priority overseas markets.
- Continuing investment in heritage, cultural, nature and eco-tourism experiences that encourage longer stays and higher visitor spending.
By building on the remarkable progress already achieved, India has an opportunity to capture a greater share of international Travel & Tourism growth while delivering even greater economic and social benefits across the country.
Ultimately, continued public-private collaboration, investment and innovation could position India as one of the world’s defining Travel & Tourism success stories over the coming decade.
