On the occasion of World Tourism Day, September 27th, the Ministry of Tourism revealed the 260-page India’s Tourism Data Compendium 2025. In the list,
Taj Mahal received the highest number of visitors and reigns supreme as the most visited ticketed monument in India for both foreign and domestic tourists in the financial year 2024-25. Despite global tourism disruptions, which were caused by the pandemic just a few years ago, India’s travel sector is making a strong comeback and how! With millions of tourists flocking in to see this magical wonder of the world, the iconic Mughal era monument in Agra has successfully cemented its global allure once again. But that’s just the beginning; the tourism trends of India are shifting in one of the most fascinating ways. According to the recently released government data, the Taj Mahal attracted over 6.26 million domestic visitors and 6,45,000 foreign tourists during the FY 2024-25 just to capture the beauty of the place. This white-marble mausoleum, built by the emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his wife Mumtaz Mahal, remains a global symbol of love and one of the world’s most admired architectural monuments. The destination is not just a UNESCO World Heritage Site, but also a protected monument under the Archaeological Survey of India. Besides the Taj Mahal, there were several other monuments that also saw high footfall.
- Sun Temple, Odisha – 3.57 million domestic visitors
- Qutub Minar, Delhi – 3.20 million domestic visitors
- Agra Fort- 0.22 million domestic visitors
How is India’s tourism recovery in full swing?
The compendium also revealed a recovery in international tourism. Arrival of Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) in India reached 10.62 million in 2024, reflecting a 13.22 per cent increase over 2023 and a substantial 52.15 per cent rise compared to the pre-pandemic level of 2019.
The largest age groups among foreign tourists who are visiting India were 35-44 (20.67%), 45-54 (20.24%), while seniors who are 55+ showed increasing interest due to India’s wellness and spiritual tourism. Gender distribution was balanced in FTAs 2024; it showed, “57.7 per cent males and 42.3 per cent females, reflecting a balanced gender distribution among foreign visitors.”
