India has emerged as one of the world’s fastest-growing Travel & Tourism economies, with the sector generating $263.6 billion for the national economy and supporting 46.2 million jobs in 2025, according to a press release by the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC). The new Economic Impact Research, sponsored by Chase Travel as Lead Research Partner, was released on 27 July 2026. It highlights India’s thriving domestic market, infrastructure investment, and a tourism offering that keeps international visitors staying longer than almost anywhere else. WTTC identifies India’s next opportunity as attracting a greater share of international visitor spending. The report positions India to become one of the world’s leading Travel & Tourism destinations.
Travel & Tourism expanded by 7.3% in India during 2025, significantly outperforming the global average of 4.1%. Domestic visitor spending reached $203 billion, representing 86% of all Travel & Tourism spending and growing by more than 10% year-on-year. International visitor spending currently accounts for around 14% of total tourism expenditure. The sector now contributes 6.6% of India’s GDP and supports more than one in every ten jobs across the country. International visitors already spend an average of 18.5 days in India, one of the longest average lengths of stay globally.
WTTC forecasts the sector will continue to outperform the wider economy in 2026, with Travel & Tourism GDP expected to grow by 8.5%. Its economic contribution is projected to rise to $286.1 billion while supporting 48.1 million jobs. Over the next decade, India’s Travel & Tourism sector is projected to almost double, reaching $527 billion by 2036. India is expected to climb from the 10th largest Travel & Tourism economy in the world to fourth place globally. International visitor spending is forecast to grow by almost 60% over the same period.
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.”
She emphasized that these achievements provide an exceptionally strong foundation for the next phase of growth. Guevara pointed to continued collaboration between government and the private sector as central to unlocking further benefits. Enhanced connectivity, seamless travel experiences, and progress on visa facilitation were highlighted as key drivers.
WTTC outlined priorities for the next chapter of growth, including strengthening public-private partnerships and enhancing visa facilitation through improvements to e-visa processes. Recommendations also cover expanding international air connectivity and continued investment in transport infrastructure, such as the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail corridor. Further measures include enhancing digital public infrastructure, increasing international destination marketing, and investing in heritage, cultural, nature, and eco-tourism experiences. WTTC believes India’s domestic market will remain the foundation of future success while targeted measures encourage international demand. Through continued public-private collaboration, investment, and innovation, WTTC believes India is well positioned to become one of the world’s defining Travel & Tourism success stories over the coming decade.
