Goa, Rajasthan, Kerala … Bengal beat them all in pulling in foreign tourists
- Subhro NiyogiUdit Prasanna Mukherji
- TNNUpdated: Jan 01, 2026, 18:09 IST IST
When you think of tourism destinations in India that attract the most foreign visitors, you probably think of Rajasthan, the land of forts and palaces. Or maybe, Kerala, ‘God’s Own Country’, with its picturesque and lazy backwaters. Was it Goa’s irresistible beaches that sprung to your mind? And how could you not think of Uttar Pradesh, home to the Taj Mahal?
It may be difficult to believe, but West Bengal beat each of those states in 2024, with 3.1 million foreigners setting foot there at least once during the calendar year. Bengal was beaten only by Maharashtra, which had 3.7 million foreign tourists, according to data released by the Union tourism ministry in the India Tourism Data Compendium 2025. It’s important to note, though, that these are state-wise foreign tourist visits, so the same traveller can be counted in more than one state.
It may be difficult to believe, but West Bengal beat each of those states in 2024, with 3.1 million foreigners setting foot there at least once during the calendar year. Bengal was beaten only by Maharashtra, which had 3.7 million foreign tourists, according to data released by the Union tourism ministry in the India Tourism Data Compendium 2025. It’s important to note, though, that these are state-wise foreign tourist visits, so the same traveller can be counted in more than one state.
