New Delhi, July 16 -- As the world navigates the war in West Asia, India's dependence on domestic tourism is growing, while spending by international visitors has remained flat over the last seven years, since pre-covid levels in 2019.

The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), a global travel and tourism industry body, said international visitor spending has stayed flat at Rs.2.9 trillion ($32.9 billion) in 2025, almost identical to 2019 despite an 8% increase over the previous year. This year too, in 2026, the number is expected to increase by only 15.3% to Rs.3.3 trillion, or $37.9 billion, over 2019, the body said. In fact, the rupee has devalued by approximately 26.92% against the US dollar from 2019 to July 2026.

In contrast, dome...