NEW DELHI: Delhi accounted for 32.2 lakh foreign tourist arrivals in 2024, which was 38.9% of the country’s top international entries, according to the Delhi Economic Survey of 2025–26.While it leads other cities by a massive margin on this count, Delhi lags in making those tourists stay on to enjoy the city, despite having well-known heritage sites such as Qutub Minar, Humayun Tomb, Red Fort and Purana Qila.Govt data shows that Delhi alone handles over twice the foreign tourist traffic of Mumbai and nearly four times that of each of the southern metros largely due to its unmatched connectivity, aviation capacity and for being the capital.
Foreign tourists flock to Delhi; Red Fort, Qutb Minar key draws
Its airport has strong global linkages, so the capital has become the default landing point for foreign travellers.Mumbai, the second-busiest international gateway, handled 15.6 lakh foreign tourists in 2024, which is about half of Delhi’s numbers, highlighting the wide gap between the capital and other cities. Chennai saw about 8.1 lakh international tourist arrivals, and Bengaluru received about 7 lakh.Hyderabad recorded 3.9 lakh international arrivals, followed by Kochi with 3.7 lakh and Kolkata with 2.8 lakh. Ahmedabad registered 2.2 lakh foreign tourists.However, the story flips when tourist visits or stays, not just arrivals, are counted. Delhi is not the most visited destination. In 2024, it accounted for 9.6% of total foreign tourist visits, placing it sixth among states and Union Territories in 2024. It trailed Maharashtra (17.7%) and West Bengal (14.9%), followed by Gujarat (10.9%), Uttar Pradesh (10.8%) and Rajasthan (9.9%).Among the key tourist destinations in the country Delhi stands out as a heritage powerhouse. , offering a wide range of historical and architectural landmarks such as iconic sites like the Red Fort, Qutub Minar, India Gate, Humayun Tomb, and Purana Qila that showcase heritage while historic sites like Chandni Chowk reflect the city’s cultural vibrancy. Modern landmarks such as Pradhan Mantri Sangrahalaya and Kartavya Path are among the key destinations.“It is true that a large proportion of foreign tourists land in Delhi but quickly move onward to destinations such as Agra, Jaipur or Varanasi. The challenge is to convert arrivals into longer stays. Govt is already working on this. Delhi is competing with states that have more diverse tourism ecosystems, including beaches, wildlife and hill destinations but Delhi has strong heritage assets that we need to promote,” an official said.Heritage continues to push tourism demand in the capital. Two of Delhi’s most iconic monuments feature prominently among India’s most visited centrally protected sites. Qutub Minar recorded 32 lakh domestic visitors, ranking third nationally, while Red Fort drew 28.8 lakh visitors, ranking fourth. Delhi is the only city with two monuments in the top five, underlining its historical depth and cultural significance.At the national level, the Taj Mahal remains the undisputed leader, attracting 62.6 lakh visitors, nearly double the footfall of Sun Temple Konark at 35.7 lakh.Tourism promotion experts said improving last-mile connectivity, strengthening the nighttime economy, promoting cultural circuits, and investing in urban infrastructure, cleanliness and safety are critical to enhancing the overall tourist experience.
