To better understand the Indian tourism market and provide industry stakeholders with the insights on the nature of its outbound travel, the European Travel Commission (ETC) has published the Research Snapshot on the Indian Outbound Travel Market.
In recent years a large and growing population coupled with a strong economy has fuelled the growth of the Indian outbound travel market. International departures from India have increased from 16.6 million in 2013 to 26.3 million in 2018, reflecting a five-year CAGR of 9.6%.[1] According to Tourism Economics statistics, Europe had a 17% share of the Indian outbound market in 2018. Central & Eastern Europe and Western Europe accounted for the largest share of Indian visits to Europe, at 39% and 33% respectively in 2018.
Indian tourists are amongst the highest spenders abroad. Outbound tourism expenditure from India totalled US$21.3 billion in 2018, registering a growth of 22% over the previous year. At a spending of US$811 per departure in 2018, Indian tourists ranked 40th worldwide.[2]
This snapshot provides readers with an overview of India and the Indian tourism market and serves as a guide for European tourism stakeholders looking for information and opportunities to do business with tourism operators in India. The following areas are covered:
The paper also includes recommendations on how to adequately target the travel trade and travel consumers in the Indian outbound market. Aspects such as marketing challenges, opportunities, and information on key industry players are also covered.
This project is co-funded by the European Union.
[1] Ministry of Tourism, Government of India – India Tourism Statistics at a Glance – 2019
[2] UN World Tourism Organization