1.43 Crore Indians Went On Foreign Trips For Leisure In 2025

The Ministry of Tourism has released the Annual Tourism Snapshot Report for 2025, offering key data and insights on Foreign Tourist Arrivals in India, Indian nationals' departures, and estimated Foreign Exchange Earnings (FEEs) from tourism. According to the report, 3.27 crore Indians travelled abroad in 2025.

Leisure travel emerged as the strongest driver of India's outbound tourism, accounting for 43.5 per cent of all international trips. Other major reasons included visits related to the Indian diaspora (34.1 per cent), business travel (14.6 per cent), pilgrimage (3.7 per cent), and other purposes (1.3 per cent).

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Rise In International Trips For Leisure

The report notes that 1.43 crore Indians travelled abroad purely for leisure in 2025. In comparison, 41.4 per cent of outbound travellers undertook leisure trips in 2023, translating to 1.15 crore people. The trend suggests that leisure travel is becoming a stronger priority for Indian outbound travellers, reflecting a growing desire to explore international destinations for personal enjoyment.

AI-powered travel operator Thrillophilia's 2025 Multi-Day Travel Index further highlights a maturing leisure travel market, where Indian travellers across budgets and age groups increasingly prioritise reliability, comfort and deeper experiences over discounts or the number of destinations covered.

Also Read: 3.3 Crore Indians Went On Foreign Trips In 2025. Top 3 Countries Are UAE, Saudi, Thailand

What Is Travelling For Leisure?

Leisure travel is all about taking a break from work and heading out purely for enjoyment - whether that means exploring a new city, relaxing by the beach, or simply switching off for a while. You can travel with family, your partner, a group of friends, or even set off on a solo adventure. Think sightseeing, good food, lazy afternoons and discovering local experiences at your own pace.

Unlike business trips, where meetings and schedules dictate every move, leisure travel gives you complete freedom to choose where you go, what you do and how you spend your time.

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With digital travel platforms becoming smarter and more seamless, planning a holiday has never been easier. Flights, hotels, activities - everything can be booked in a few clicks. Many companies now also allow travellers to extend work trips for personal downtime, a growing trend called "bleisure," where business meets leisure.

The leisure travel world is wide and vibrant, spanning airlines, hotels, cruises and tour operators. Travellers today love getting the best value, often leaning on loyalty programmes, seasonal offers and bundle deals to stretch their budgets while still enjoying memorable, experience-packed holidays.

Also Read: UAE To Oman, 5 Of The Top 10 Countries Indians Travelled To In 2025 Are In The Gulf

Top 20 Countries Indians Visited In 2025 (Ranked):

1. United Arab Emirates  
2. Saudi Arabia  
3. Thailand  
4. United States of America  
5. Singapore  
6. United Kingdom  
7. Qatar  
8. Kuwait  
9. Oman  
10. Malaysia  
11. Canada  
12. Australia  
13. Vietnam  
14. Sri Lanka  
15. Indonesia  
16. Germany  
17. Bahrain  
18. Bangladesh  
19. China  
20. Nepal