Global Tensions' Impact on Indian Tourism: Insights from an Expert, Highlighting Potential Tourism Changes from Pahalgam to the Middle East
So, the whirlwind in the Indian tourism scene has been on for the past few months, marked by a series of unfortunate incidents and geopolitical tensions.
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The rollercoaster ride began on April 22 when a horrific attack claimed 26 lives in the hill station of Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir. On May 7, Indian forces took action in "Operation Sindoor," bombing terrorism-related sites in Pakistan, which resulted in many North and West Indian airports shutting down temporarily. Flight routes were re-routed to other cities.
The misery didn't end there. On June 12, an Air India flight from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick Airport met with a tragic crash soon after takeoff, causing the demise of 270 souls. An inquiry is underway to determine the cause of the disaster.
The very next day, the Iran-Israel conflict escalated, leading to airspace closures across the Middle East, disrupting flights between India, Europe, and North America.
To add to the misery, the United States issued a Level 2 travel advisory on June 16, warning its citizens to "exercise increased caution" in India due to safety and terrorism concerns. The advisory particularly advises women against traveling alone and suggests taking extra precautions in specific regions, such as Jammu and Kashmir, the India-Pakistan border, and certain parts of Maharashtra, Telangana, and West Bengal.
All this, of course, raises questions about the future of India's travel and tourism industry, which contributed a whopping INR 21 trillion to the country's economy in 2024. To shed some light on this, we reached out to Madan Bezbaruah, the current secretary general of the Hotel Association of India and a former official at the Ministry of Tourism.
Potential Impact on Foreign Tourist Arrivals in India for 2025
India is undoubtedly a top destination for global travelers. In 2024, international visitor spending in India reached an all-time high of INR 3.1 trillion, surpassing the previous peak of 2019 by 9%. While domestic travel has continued to thrive, with expenditure soaring to INR 15.5 trillion (up 22% from 2019), international tourism is now paving the way for a promising era of growth.
In 2023, India saw 9.52 million Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTAs), which was close to the 2019 level (10.93 million FTAs). The government counts both non-resident Indians (NRIs) and foreign tourists separately in the FTAs—the former only refers to those with foreign passports, while the latter includes NRIs.
According to Bezbaruah, the current uncertainties, coupled with the Pahalgam attack and the Air India crash, will naturally have some impact on foreign tourist arrivals in 2025. However, he remains optimistic. "It depends on what transpires in the Middle East, Israel situation, and Europe as people are doubtful about travel," he says. He adds that marketing India aggressively will be crucial to attract tourists.
US Travel Advisory: An Unjustified Assessment
The June 16 US advisory was particularly "unjustified," Bezbaruah says, as it does not appear to be supported by the circumstances or facts on the ground. He points out the peaceful nature of Meghalaya, a state in northeast India, which was included in the list of places where American staff would require permission to venture outside Shillong, the state capital.
"Meghalaya is one of the most peaceful places in India," he says, expressing the view that the US government might have confused it with Manipur, which grapples with some security issues. In general, normal criminal activities occur everywhere in the world, but this does not merit advising people not to travel to a particular country, according to Bezbaruah.
"We have to do a lot of marketing to dispel this baseless fear. It would be diplomatically essential to remove this advisory issued by the US," he states.
Domestically, Bezbaruah believes that the Pahalgam attack was a temporary setback for tourism in Jammu and Kashmir, but the rest of the country will remain unaffected by the incidents in Pahalgam and Ahmedabad. Recently, the Union Minister of Tourism, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, met with the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Omar Abdullah, to strategize a plan for reviving tourism in the union territory.
Unity in Diversity: India's Strength
Ultimately, Bezbaruah encourages global tourists to look beyond the present bumps in the road and embrace the unique beauty and opportunities India offers. "India’s strength lies in its diversified culture, religious sites, heritage, and fantastic food. It presents a great opportunity to understand the functioning of democracy, despite the disparities. India’s message is that in a world marred by conflict, we have proven that diversity can be a strength," he concludes.
- Despite the recent unfortunate incidents and geopolitical tensions, Outlook Traveller magazine invites readers to join their WhatsApp channel for the latest June - July 2025 issue, highlighting a mix of topics including travel updates, general news, and insights on the impact of politics on India's travel and tourism industry.
- Madan Bezbaruah, the current secretary general of the Hotel Association of India, acknowledges the potential impact on foreign tourist arrivals in 2025 due to the current uncertainties, but remains optimistic about India's tourism industry, emphasizing the need for aggressive marketing to attract tourists, especially given the all-time high of INR 3.1 trillion in international visitor spending in India in 2024.
- In response to the US Level 2 travel advisory issued on June 16, warning its citizens to exercise increased caution in India due to safety and terrorism concerns, particularly in certain regions, Madan Bezbaruah notes that the advisory was "unjustified" and expresses the need for diplomatic efforts to remove it, stating that Meghalaya, a peaceful place in India, might have been mistakenly included in the list of potentially dangerous regions.
