International Travel Patterns in India from 2021 to 2024

The data reveals a remarkable recovery story following the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2021, when much of the world still faced travel restrictions, India recorded only 1.53 million foreign arrivals. By 2024, this number had increased nearly sixfold to 8.96 million visitors. Similarly, Indian departures grew from 8.6 million in 2021 to 28.65 million in 2024—more than tripling in just three years. This dramatic rebound demonstrates both the resilience of international travel demand and the relatively rapid normalization of cross-border movement after the unprecedented disruptions of the pandemic.

One of the most striking insights from this data is the persistent and significant asymmetry between foreigners arriving in India and Indians departing the country. Throughout the entire period, Indian departures consistently outnumbered foreign arrivals by a substantial margin. In 2021, 5.6 times more Indians departed than foreigners arrived; in 2022, the ratio was 3.6; in 2023, it was 3.0; and in 2024, it stood at 3.2. This asymmetry suggests several important dynamics. India’s growing middle class has both the means and desire for international travel, whether for tourism, education, business, or visiting family abroad. However, India may face challenges in attracting international visitors relative to its population size and economic significance. The country likely maintains a significant “travel deficit” in its services trade balance, with more foreign exchange leaving the country through outbound tourism than entering through inbound tourism.

The year-over-year growth rates reveal interesting patterns in the recovery trajectory. Foreign arrivals surged by 258.8% between 2021 and 2022, followed by a 54.7% increase in 2023 and a more modest 5.5% growth in 2024. Similarly, Indian departures grew by 130.1% from 2021 to 2022, 30.2% in 2023, and 11.2% in 2024. The extremely high growth rates from 2021 to 2022 reflect the initial rebound from pandemic restrictions, while the subsequent moderation suggests the market is approaching a new equilibrium. The notably lower growth rate for foreign arrivals in 2024 compared to Indian departures indicates that India’s outbound travel market continues to expand more robustly than its inbound tourism sector.

Without pre-2021 data, direct comparisons to pre-pandemic levels are limited. However, India’s 2024 foreign arrival figures (8.96 million) represent about 82% of the pre-pandemic total of 10.9 million in 2019, suggesting a near-complete recovery. The substantial gap between outbound and inbound travellers has significant economic implications. The much higher number of Indian travellers going abroad represents a substantial outflow of foreign exchange, which may affect India’s current account balance. In 2024 alone, the difference between departures and arrivals was nearly 20 million trips. The relatively lower number of foreign arrivals indicates potential untapped opportunities in India’s tourism sector. With its rich cultural heritage, diverse landscapes, and historic sites, India has significant tourism potential that appears to be underutilized based on these figures. Additionally, travel figures may reflect patterns in business relationships and investment flows, as the higher number of Indians travelling abroad could partially represent business outreach, potentially laying the groundwork for expanding Indian companies’ global footprint.

The high volume of Indian departures—reaching 28.65 million in 2024—has important demographic and social implications. Many of these departures likely represent visits to family members among India’s large global diaspora, particularly in countries like the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, and UAE. A significant portion of departures may also represent students pursuing higher education abroad, reflecting both the prestige of foreign universities and capacity constraints in India’s higher education system. Moreover, the growing number of Indian departures demonstrates the expanding global mobility of India’s middle class, which increasingly has the means and interest to travel internationally.

The data highlights several potential areas for policy consideration. The relatively lower number of foreign arrivals suggests a need for more effective international tourism promotion strategies and potential improvements to tourism infrastructure. India’s visa policies may warrant review to ensure they are competitive with other major tourism destinations. Expanding international air connectivity, particularly direct flights to major global hubs, could help boost foreign arrivals. Furthermore, policies aimed at increasing inbound tourism could help reduce the economic impact of the current travel imbalance.

Looking ahead, several trends are worth monitoring. The slowing growth rate in foreign arrivals suggests that India may need new strategies to significantly expand its inbound tourism beyond current levels. Meanwhile, the continued strong growth in Indian departures indicates that India’s outbound travel market remains robust and is likely to continue expanding with the country’s growing middle class. If these trends persist, the gap between Indians traveling abroad and foreigners visiting India may widen further, with potential implications for India’s services trade balance and tourism industry development. In conclusion, the 2021-2024 travel data reveals a strong overall recovery from the pandemic but highlights persistent structural imbalances in India’s international travel patterns that merit attention from policymakers, tourism industry stakeholders, and economic planners.