New Delhi, July 20 -- Last year, more than 30 million Indians travelled overseas. By the end of this decade, India is expected to become one of the world's largest outbound tourism markets. Across Asia, Europe and the Middle East, tourism boards, airlines and governments are competing aggressively for a share of the Indian traveller's wallet.

Yet, there is a striking paradox. India, a country with unmatched cultural diversity, natural landscapes, heritage assets and spiritual traditions, attracted fewer than 10 million foreign tourist arrivals in 2023. Thailand welcomed nearly 36 million international visitors in 2024. Vietnam attracted over 17 million. Even countries with a fraction of India's size and tourism assets consistently outper...