As winter sets in, India’s tourism industry is experiencing a remarkable growth in inbound travel signaling a strong recovery. Travel companies, including ixigo, EaseMyTrip and Cleartrip, have witnessed substantial year-on-year growth ranging from 22 percent to 62 percent.
Ixigo witnessed a 62 percent growth in bookings and searches compared to the previous year, while EaseMyTrip and Cleartrip saw increases of 30 percent and 22 percent, respectively.
Nishant Pitti, CEO and Co-Founder of EaseMyTrip, said, “Advance New Year bookings have also started to grow by around 30 percent compared to last year. This number will jump exponentially as we approach New Year’s weekend.”
Karthick Prabu, Head of Strategy at Cleartrip, said Delhi remains the top gateway to India, followed by Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai/Madras and Hyderabad. He said air fares for India have remained mostly stable compared to last year, with only seasonal or festive rushes witnessing an increase of 30-40 percent.
FTAs up
According to the Ministry of Tourism, the arrivals of foreign tourists from January to October 2023 reached 72,43,680, marking a significant increase from 46,55,160 in the same period in 2022. The growth trajectory shows an increase of 55.6 percent compared to 2022 and a – The 15.9 percent change compared to pre-pandemic levels in 2019.
Aloke Bajpai, Co-founder and CEO of the ixigo Group, attributed this growth to concerted efforts by the Indian government. “This growth is proof of the concerted efforts of the Indian government to promote tourism in the country, such as the development of cultural and spiritual centers such as Varanasi, Prayagraj and Ayodhya, and the improvement of connectivity with the launch of Vande semi-high speed. Bharat trains,” he said.
Pittie said that the Ministry of Tourism’s active participation in major global travel exhibitions in 2023, projects a promising growth trajectory for India’s inbound tourism.
Marketing at the step
However, Rajiv Mehra, president of the IATO, said there were improvements in 2023, but emphasized the need to increase international marketing efforts. He says: “We urge the government to significantly step up international marketing.” The industry is also pushing for tourism professionals trained in embassies abroad to strengthen marketing strategies in the face of fierce global competition.
The government, however, said it is actively implementing 97 projects covering 3,111 km of road network at an estimated cost of ₹ 74,353 crore to enhance connectivity to priority tourist destinations. It aims to develop 50 destinations. Although there is no clarity on promotion and marketing.
The business trip played a crucial role in the recovery. FCM Travel reported a significant increase in skilled workers and holiday travelers entering the country. Rakesh Negi, Head of Business Transformation at FCM, said there was a 98.5 percent increase in business travelers from India, China, the Philippines and the United Kingdom in 2023 compared to the previous year.
As Australia reopened its borders in February 2022, business travelers returned to shores, with inbound business trips from various countries witnessing substantial growth.
Although Virendra Jain, Co-founder and CEO of VIDEC Consultants, sees a positive outlook, he said, “India – the future makes an appearance.” While outbound trips are almost back to pre-pandemic levels, inbound trips are expected to consolidate their recovery in the coming year.”
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