Foreign tourist footfall in Hampi has plunged from nearly 20,000 to just over 4,000 this year, with safety concerns and poor infrastructure blamed for the drastic drop. Only 3,818 foreign travellers visited the UNESCO World Heritage Site up to October 2024–25, compared with 19,838 in the previous year, even as domestic tourism remained robust with 4,46,441 Indian visitors during the same period.
While domestic numbers have held steady, international arrivals have fluctuated since the pandemic. Foreign tourist inflows rose from 15,340 in 2022–23 to 20,080 in 2023–24, but in the current year have seen a sharp decline.
Stakeholders cite safety concerns and long-standing infrastructure gaps as key reasons. Two major incidents near Sanapur last summer, a sexual assault and the murder of a foreign traveller, have severely dented Hampi’s global perception. Guides and operators say most foreign enquiries now begin with, “Is Hampi safe?” Several tour groups from Europe and East Asia reportedly cancelled visits following the incidents.
Foreign tourists continue to flag issues such as poor sanitation, inadequate information centres, and unreliable transport. Tourism bodies have urged stronger security, dedicated tourist policing, better last-mile connectivity, improved cleanliness, and focused international promotion. A long-pending proposal for an international airport near Hampi has also gained renewed attention.
Virupakshi V Hampi, president of the Villages Welfare Association under the Hampi World Heritage Area Management Authority, called the drop in foreign tourists disappointing. Local operators say livelihoods are already being affected. District officials stated that safety-awareness initiatives and infrastructure upgrades are under consideration, with consultations underway with stakeholders.