India’s overall international tourist arrivals stood at 202.18 lakh in 2025, slightly below the 205.69 lakh recorded in 2024, Parliament was informed on Thursday. The number of international tourist arrivals increased from 70.1 akh in 2021 to 143.30 lakh in 2022 and 188.99 lakh in 2023, before crossing the 200-lakh mark in 2024, Union Tourism Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said.He, however, clarified that international tourist arrivals include both foreign tourist arrivals and Indian national arrivals, based on information provided by the Bureau of Immigration.Among States and Union Territories, Uttar Pradesh recorded the highest number of foreign tourist visits in 2025, narrowly beating Maharashtra. Uttar Pradesh received 45.08 lakh foreign tourist visits, while Maharashtra recorded 44.97 lakh. West Bengal was third with 39.96 lakh, followed by Delhi with 24.27 lakh and Gujarat with 23.40 lakh.Responding to a question on changing tourist preferences, the Tourism Ministry said it periodically conducts an International Passenger Survey covering demographics, travel patterns, expenditure and satisfaction among international passengers.The average duration of stay of foreign tourists is also periodically estimated using Bureau of Immigration data.The culture ministry said development and promotion of tourist destinations primarily falls under State governments and Union Territory administrations, while the Union Tourism Ministry provides financial assistance through programmes including Swadesh Darshan, PRASHAD, Challenge Based Destination Development and Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment.