As summer travel season sets in across India, travel consultants in the country are enjoying strong outbound bookings for near and far, from Asia to Europe.
According to Dove Travels’ managing partner Ashwani K Gupta, demand is up by some 15 per cent this summer season compared to the last.
Gupta detailed: “Shorthaul destinations like the Middle East are in demand, while Saudi Arabia is rising on the popularity charts. Vietnam is a popular choice among group tours due to the destination’s competitive pricing. Meanwhile, in Europe, we are noticing a positive response for luxury travel to Italy, France and Spain.”
Travel consultants say travel to Europe is on the rise, as visa challenges ease.
“Last year, guests had to plan their travel at least two months in advance, as visa appointments for some European destinations required a waiting period of at least a month. However, the situation has improved a lot this year. We are seeing a good response from Indian travellers for northern European destinations like Denmark and Finland,” Ajay Jaipuria, founder, Travel Oyster India, told TTG Asia.
Jaipuria added that airfares for Europe have also improved, further fuelling strong travel demand.
He noted that an economy class seat on a European sector was priced between 75,000 rupees (US$900) and 90,000 rupees in 2023. This year, the price has fallen to between 50,000 and 60,000 rupees.
“We are observing a trend where guests are increasingly opting to spend four to five nights in a single destination, rather than hopping between multiple locations in Europe. This shift indicates a preference for a more immersive experience,” said Jaipuria.
While outbound travel is certainly growing, Ajay Prakash, president of the Travel Agents Federation of India, warned that high airfares and visas for western destinations continue to challenge business.
The “huge backlog” of Schengen and US visa applications is stunting outbound tourism growth, Prakash lamented.
