India’s Heritage Footfall Rankings 2024–25: Taj Mahal Once Again Dominates Visitor Charts

India’s rich heritage, architectural masterpieces, and cultural diversity continue to attract millions of travellers every year. Government data shows that 2024–25 witnessed significant growth in tourism:

• 56 lakh foreign tourists
• 303.59 crore domestic tourist visits

Among the 145 centrally protected ticketed monuments under the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), the Taj Mahal in Agra emerged as the most visited monument—a title it continues to retain year after year.

Taj Mahal – Still India’s Top Attraction

According to the India Tourism Data Compendium 2025, the Taj Mahal attracted:

• 6.26 million domestic visitors
• 0.65 million foreign tourists

With its global heritage appeal, architectural beauty, and UNESCO World Heritage status, the Taj Mahal remains the primary symbol of India’s tourism identity.

Top 10 Most-Visited Monuments (Domestic Tourists) in FY 2024–25

India’s domestic travellers showed a clear preference for iconic heritage destinations, especially in Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Maharashtra, Odisha, Telangana, and Goa.

Rank	Monument	Location	Visitors (Millions)
1	Taj Mahal	Agra, Uttar Pradesh	6.26M
2	Sun Temple	Konark, Odisha	3.57M
3	Qutub Minar	Delhi	3.20M
4	Red Fort	Delhi	2.88M
5	Bibi Ka Maqbara	Aurangabad, Maharashtra	2.00M
6	Ellora Caves	Aurangabad, Maharashtra	1.74M
7	Golkonda Fort	Hyderabad, Telangana	1.56M
8	Agra Fort	Agra, Uttar Pradesh	1.55M
9	Fort Aguada	Goa	1.36M
10	Charminar	Hyderabad, Telangana	1.34M

Key Observations

• The top 10 sites account for 47% of all domestic arrivals.
• Agra, Delhi, and Hyderabad appear multiple times, showing their cultural dominance.
• Domestic footfall crossed 54 million across ASI monuments.

Top 10 Most-Visited Monuments (Foreign Tourists) in FY 2024–25

Foreign tourists overwhelmingly favor North Indian Mughal architecture sites, especially those around Agra and Delhi.

Rank	Monument	Location	Visitors
1	Taj Mahal	Agra, Uttar Pradesh	645K
2	Agra Fort	Agra, Uttar Pradesh	225K
3	Qutub Minar	Delhi	220K
4	Humayun’s Tomb	Delhi	158K
5	Abhaneri Stepwell	Dausa, Rajasthan	116K
6	Fatehpur Sikri	Agra, Uttar Pradesh	97K
7	Itimad-ud-Daulah	Agra, Uttar Pradesh	90K
8	Nalanda Site	Nalanda, Bihar	88K
9	Red Fort	Delhi	79K
10	Sahet Mehet Site	Balrampur, Uttar Pradesh	73K

Key Insight

• The Agra circuit alone accounts for four of the top 10 sites.
• The top 10 monuments draw 74% of all foreign Heritage visitors.
• Foreign visits totalled around 2.4 million in 2024–25.

India’s Tourism Momentum: Slow but Steady

Although the visitor numbers increased by 1.75%, this is modest compared to the post-pandemic rebound:

• +92.8% in 2021–22
• +88.6% in 2022–23
• -70.7% decline during 2020–21

This shows that while travel activity is now stable, the post-COVID boom phase is tapering into more gradual growth.

India as a Heritage Superpower

With 44 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, India offers unmatched cultural variety—from rock-cut caves and medieval forts to ancient temples and Mughal masterpieces.

The popularity of sites across Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Delhi, Odisha, and Telangana highlights how diverse historical attractions continue to shape India’s tourism landscape.