The flight is on the rise again. According to the United Nations Tourism Agency, international travel is for all purposes Atengio 97% The current pre-pandemic level is in the first quarter of 2024. In some regions, such as Africa and Europe, these levels have already exceeded these levels.
Indian travelers, in particular, are contributing to this growing trend – nenhuma nação Foreign tourism market It's escalating faster. In response to this rapid boom in the travel sector, Indian airlines have been given the mandate to do so Record numbers New aircraft in 2024
The Indian travel market is huge, with the middle class now represented 31% of the country's population. This number is expected to rise to 60% by 2047, meaning there will be more than a thousand million middle-class Indians by the end of the century.
For novice Indian tourists, the future of travel looks exciting. But for the many destinations already under siege OvertourismThis new market can be seen in a better way CITIC lens.
However, Indian tourists will spend 33.3 billion US dollars (25.3 billion pounds) in 2023, and many destinations are scheduled to be redeveloped to fulfill their potential. In April, for example, Japan introduced a new e-visa system for Indian tourists. Hopes to increase numbers.
Two months ago, Dubai created a sighting of five-year-old tourists and multiple entries, especially for Indian visitors. South Africa Simplified visa regime It will also start in 2025, while other countries, including Malaysia, Koenya, Thailand and I will We will completely remove visa requirements for Indian tourists.
The outbound tourism market in India is growing rapidly. (representational image)
This evidence suggests that these schemes work. Tour operator Thomas Cook reported in May that Indian demand for exhibitions in Georgia had increased com. subiu There is a staggering 600% increase compared to the previous year, since the country launched an e-visa system for Indian tourists in 2015.
Other European markets are slower and not adapting. Schengen area without European borders foot The new 'cascata' system will allow Indian visitors who have used a short-term ticket twice in the past three years to request a two-year multiple-entry tourist ticket.
But, while this is a positive and meaningless step towards easier travel for some Indian tourists, it will have no impact on new travellers. The process of obtaining a Schengen visa can also take months, requiring a lot of documentation and clear markings. Notoriously difficult finds.
The story is similar for British audiences. Many people in India, just like Other candidatesI feel like the process is very difficult and it can be insulting. You just need endless amounts of paper, including bank statements and invitation letters, and the applications are often not explained.
In a study on travel trends in India, an online travel platform Booking.com We also discovered that Indian tourists usually book their trips at the last minute. Meanwhile, on average, fairs take just 30 days to plan, compared to 63 days for Americans and 90 days for British fairs. Many simply do not care about delayed visa requirements and choose more comfortable and affordable destinations.
So, where are you going?
Low-cost airlines flying to relatively close destinations will contribute to the tourism rush in India, as Southeast Asia grows in popularity. According to Google TrendsVietnam was the most searched destination for Indians in 2023.
Naquele ano, National Tourism Authority of Vietnam He said 231% increase in visitors from India compared to 2019. Other Southeast Asian countries, such as Thailand, Singapore and Indonesia, are recording similar results Big leaps nas chegadas.
Indian travelers are greatly influenced by television and cinema, and often choose to visit places that revolve around Bollywood. Despite restrictions on viewing and the number of Indian tourists Visit Spain An increase of 40% in 2011 To tomatoes A popular Indian film was screened at the festival – where participants played tomatoes and others – Zindagi na milegi dobara.
The story was similar for Switzerland. Many Bollywood films made in the last 50 years will lead to Indian tourism Love status As or country. The Swiss Tourism Board is still submitting its offers Walk in Bollywood Different locations presented in Indian cinema.
Only 9% of Indian travelers are focusing on long-haul destinations in Western Europe, while Switzerland was a country 20 major destinations For Indian tourists for more than a decade.
Other destinations have started using Bollywood actors in their promotional campaigns. Dubai, for example, is being promoted by an Indian film star and producer Kha Rukh Khan. This is the party Siddharth Malhotra He has been a brand ambassador for Nova Zelandia since 2015.
By 2040, the number of international tourist departures from India will be able to reach 90 thousandNot so long ago 104 thousand hours of Chinese tourists who I traveled in 2019. Not much, Searching This suggests that Chinese tourists are increasingly deciding to travel to their home country, or it means that Indian tourists will soon be able to overtake them.
As more people in India crowd airport departure lounges, tourist destinations around the world are vying for a place in the race to grab their share.
(author: Ross Bennett CookVisiting Professor, School of Architecture + CEDADES, University of Westminster)
(Disclosure Statement: Ross Bennett-Cook does not work for, advise on, or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and discloses no relevant affiliations other than his academic name.)
This article has been republished from To talk Under Creative Commons license. Leah or Original Artigo.
(Except this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
