Only 85.9 lakh tourists visited India in 2022, way below pre-Covid levels, Union Minister informs Lok Sabha

Foreign tourist arrivals in India are yet to reach the pre-pandemic levels as only 85.9 lakh of them visited the country in 2022 as against 2.88 crore in 2018 and 3.14 crore in 2019. Data on foreign tourist visits (FTVs) from 2018 to 2022 was presented in the Lok Sabha on Monday. The tourist influx sharply declined in 2020 to 71.7 lakh and further plummeted to 10.5 lakh in 2021. In 2022, 85.9 lakh foreigners visited the country, according to the government data. Union Tourism and Culture Minister G Kishan Reddy provided this information in response to a question, stating that the ministry is not considering the launch of pilgrim tourism circuits across the country. Reddy explained that the ministry supports the development of tourism infrastructure, including pilgrimage sites, through schemes like “Swadesh Darshan,” “Prashad” (Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual, Heritage Augmentation Drive), and “Assistance to Central Agencies.” Projects under these schemes are identified in collaboration with state governments, Union Territory administrations, or central agencies. The approval is contingent on adherence to guidelines, fund availability, and the status of ongoing projects. The Ministry of Tourism has sanctioned a total of 76 projects under “Swadesh Darshan,” 46 under “Prashad,” and 38 under the “Assistance to Central Agencies” scheme. However, Reddy noted that the ministry does not maintain data on pilgrims traveling across states for religious visits. With inputs from agencies