India Sees 9% Drop in Foreign Tourists as Bangladesh Visits Plunge

A tourist sits on the banks of Dal Lake with her belongings as she waits for transport to leave for Srinagar airport, following a suspected militant attack near south Kashmir’s scenic Pahalgam, April 23, 2025.

Foreign tourist arrivals in India fell over 9% in 2025 to 90.2 lakh, largely due to a sharp decline in visitors from neighbouring Bangladesh amid rising bilateral tensions.

Arrivals from Bangladesh dropped 73% to 4.7 lakh, down from 17.5 lakh the previous year. The decline of 12.8 lakh Bangladeshi visitors exceeded the total overall drop of 9.3 lakh foreign tourists during the year, pushing Bangladesh from India’s second-largest source of tourists to fifth place.

The downturn followed increased tensions between the two countries, which led to a substantial reduction in visas issued by both sides.

Industry experts said the decline in Bangladeshi visitors had limited impact on tourism revenue, as many travellers from Bangladesh primarily visit India for medical treatment or work rather than leisure. Hotel occupancy and visits to major tourist sites remained largely unaffected.

While inbound tourism slowed, outbound travel by Indians grew 6.6% to a record 3.3 crore in 2025. Rising domestic costs have encouraged middle-class travellers to seek cheaper international destinations such as the UAE, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, and CIS countries.

Hoteliers noted that strong domestic and corporate travel demand cushioned the effect of fewer foreign leisure visitors. “Business travel is on the rise, and domestic tourism remains strong. Luxury stays continue to see higher demand than supply, ensuring healthy rates for major hotels,” an industry executive said.