It is not only Agra, Rajasthan and Goa but some offbeat destinations in India are also gaining traction among tourists.

"The tourists who come to India would definitely want to see Taj Mahal so that remains the most favourite. However, in the recent past there has been an increase in the number of foreign travellers who are visiting places such as Kasuali, Dibrugarh, Ranikhet, Manipur," said Subhash Goyal, Chairman, Assocham expert committee on tourism.

Now, all the states have started promoting themselves in foreign markets, therefore creating more awareness about several other destinations that India has to offer, he added.

With better connectivity and infrastructure, it has become even more easier for travellers to explore other options within India.

According to the latest data available by the Tourism Ministry, the Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTAs) during the period from January-August 2019 stood at 68,82,940 as compared to 67,43,819 during the same period in 2018, registering a growth of 2.1 per cent.

The data also shows Bangladesh (31. 33 per cent), US ( 10.33 per cent), UK (8.01 per cent) are among the top 15 source countries for India.

"Now, tourists also want an experiential travel and India has those options available to explore," said Sharat Dhall, COO, Yatra.com

In 2014-15, the government had launched Swadesh Darshan Scheme to provide tourism experiences, support communities, and provide employment.

"India offers various categories of tourism from leisure tourism to eco-tourism, pilgrimage and cultural tourism, to journey... The tourism sector has a significant role to play in the economic, commercial, and social growth and sustainability of a local area, region and the country," said Arumugham Shankar, COO–Strategic Consulting, India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, JLL.

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