India: International tourism, expenditures for passenger transport items (current US$)

Key figures

Over five years it is up 12.46% from US$2.85 billion in 2015 (2.38% a year on average, compounded). Since 2000 it is up 221.59% from US$996 million in 2000 (6.01% a year on average, compounded). The World Bank has no value for 3 of the years in between; the chart leaves those gaps open rather than joining across them.

What the numbers say

In 2020, India's international tourism, expenditures for passenger transport items (current US$) fell 43.6% on 2019 (from US$5.68 billion to US$3.2 billion).

Across the 15 yearly changes before that (2001 to 2019), the average change was +19.1% and a typical year strayed about 34.1% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 1.8 standard deviations below that average, so it was larger than a typical year, though not out of the range seen before.

On record, the biggest yearly rise was 116.1% in 2005 and the biggest yearly fall was 43.6% in 2020. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.

From 2012 to 2020 the straight-line trend is upward, about US$328.3 million a year. A straight line explains 58% of the movement over 9 observed years.

Worked out from the yearly values above. How the checks work: standard deviation, z-scores and straight-line trends.

How it compares

In 2020, India had the 4th highest value of the 123 economies reporting that year. Higher is not always better: for some indicators the lowest value is the one to aim for. See the full ranking.

Closest to India in the 2020 ranking

• United States — 1st of 123: US$13.03 billion
• Qatar — 2nd of 123: US$4.76 billion
• France — 3rd of 123: US$3.44 billion
• Italy — 5th of 123: US$2.11 billion
• Russian Federation — 6th of 123: US$1.66 billion
• Japan — 7th of 123: US$1.29 billion

What this measures

International tourism expenditures for passenger transport items are expenditures of international outbound visitors in other countries for all services provided during international transportation by nonresident carriers. Also included are passenger services performed within an economy by nonresident carriers. Excluded are passenger services provided to nonresidents by resident carriers within the resident economies; these are included in travel items. In addition to the services covered by passenger fares--including fares that are a part of package tours but excluding cruise fares, which are included in travel--passenger services include such items as charges for excess baggage, vehicles, or other personal accompanying effects and expenditures for food, drink, or other items for which passengers make expenditures while on board carriers. Data are in current U.S. dollars.

Regional and income-group figures are computed by the World Bank as a gap-filled total.

All 18 values

International tourism, expenditures for passenger transport items (current US$) in nearby economies

• Bangladesh — US$265 million (2020)
• Bhutan — US$1 million (2018)
• Maldives — US$14 million (2020)
• Nepal — US$4 million (2020)
• Sri Lanka — US$354 million (2020)

More private sector & trade data for India

• Merchandise trade (% of GDP) — 30.3% (2025)
• Merchandise imports (current US$) — US$753.48 billion (2025)
• Merchandise exports (current US$) — US$445.28 billion (2025)
• Merchandise imports from economies in the Arab World (% of total merchandise imports) — 21.43% (2023)
• Merchandise imports from high-income economies (% of total merchandise imports) — 61.44% (2023)
• Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside region (% of total merchandise imports) — 37.77% (2023)
• Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in East Asia & Pacific (% of total merchandise imports) — 23.66% (2023)
• Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in Latin America & the Caribbean (% of total merchandise imports)

Reading data like this

• Where to find free public data, and how to check it before you trust it — 2 min read
• Data analysis examples: 6 worked from one dataset — 3 min read
• Real change or random noise? A plain guide to reading your numbers — 2 min read

Questions people ask

What is India's international tourism, expenditures for passenger transport items (current US$)?

US$3.2 billion in 2020, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 2000?

It is up 221.59% from US$996 million in 2000 (6.01% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was US$5.68 billion in 2019 and the lowest US$800 million in 2003.

How does India rank?

4th highest of 123 economies with data for 2020.

Is the latest change in international tourism, expenditures for passenger transport items (current US$) unusual for India?

In 2020, India's international tourism, expenditures for passenger transport items (current US$) fell 43.6% on 2019 (from US$5.68 billion to US$3.2 billion). Across the 15 yearly changes before that (2001 to 2019), the average change was +19.1% and a typical year strayed about 34.1% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 1.8 standard deviations below that average, so it was larger than a typical year, though not out of the range seen before.

Source

World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator ST.INT.TRNX.CD, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: Yearbook of Tourism Statistics, Compendium of Tourism Statistics and data files, UN Tourism Figures are fetched from the World Bank API and refreshed monthly; see the series on data.worldbank.org. The full definition and method are in the World Bank's metadata glossary. Comparisons use the same World Bank release.

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