Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s appeal to citizens to travel within the country instead of embarking on unnecessary foreign trips has given a new momentum to the domestic tourism sector. Due to the Prime Minister’s appeal, places like Kashmir, Lakshadweep, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Goa, Kerala, and the North East have witnessed a significant rise in attraction among domestic tourists.
Conversely, inquiries and bookings for foreign travel have seen a decline. According to data gathered from various tour and travel portals, bookings for beach destinations, hill stations, and pilgrimage sites within India have increased by 30% to 35%.
According to MakeMyTrip, the country’s leading online travel company, leisure travel bookings during vacation periods have seen a massive surge, which will significantly benefit small businesses and local economies in these regions. The company’s data also shows that international travel searches have dipped. Travel companies have observed that instead of long-haul international trips, Indian families are increasingly choosing short-duration domestic holidays. Goa, Kerala, and Uttarakhand remain highly popular tourism hubs.
According to Subhash Goyal, Chairman of the Aviation and Tourism Committee of the Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC), international travel bookings have dropped by 10% to 15% this year. Meanwhile, Ministry of Tourism data shows that the number of tourists visiting Lakshadweep has grown exponentially over the last few years. While the total number of tourists visiting Lakshadweep in 2020 was only 3,475, this figure grew to 68,324 by 2024. Between 2023 and 2024, the number of tourists surged by 47%. Following Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Lakshadweep, there has been a massive spike in interest and searches regarding the island destination.
