In 2024, Indian travelers flocked to Thailand after the country's visa-free policy: Where else do they intend to go?

With 2.1 million visitors in 2024, Thailand has become a popular travel destination for Indians, primarily because of its visa-free status. This expansion has been facilitated by more flights from India and marketing campaigns, while Vietnam and Singapore are also seeing an increase in Indian visitors.

Thanks to its beaches, street food, and visa-free travel policies, Thailand has emerged as one of India's top overseas travel destinations. Since late 2023, the Thai government has been aggressively pushing a number of initiatives aimed at increasing tourism in the nation.

Why are Indians visiting Thailand?
According to the Skift research, India has risen to become Thailand's third-largest source market in 2024.

A record 2.1 million Indians traveled to Thailand in 2024, about 30% higher than in 2023. Additionally, the number of Indian arrivals in 2024 has reached the pre-pandemic peak of just under 2 million.

Thailand's visa-free travel policy is one of the main reasons for the rise in Indian tourists visiting the country. Thailand announced its visa-waiver scheme in November 2023. The government declared that Indian visitors would continue to be granted visa-free entry "until further notice" after extending this waiver in May to last until November.

How did the surge in tourism in Thailand present a chance for airlines to increase their offerings?
More airlines have begun offering flights between India and Thailand as a result of the increase. Thai VietJet is one of the new airlines that have begun to operate on this route. Flights between the two nations are being resumed by certain airlines, such as Nok Air. Another airline joining the route is Air India Express, a low-cost division of Air India.

In addition, the flight schedules of IndiGo and Air India have been extended. Along with more regular departures from major cities, IndiGo has added 36 new weekly flights, including new routes like Pune to Bangkok.

Where else are Indians going?
Another well-liked travel location for Indians is Vietnam. India was the sixth-largest source of tourists to Vietnam in 2024, according to figures provided on Wednesday by the Vietnam National Authority of Tourism.More than half a million Indians came to the country.

According to the report, "India saw tremendous growth in the last few years, increasing by 2.6 times in just two years, from 138,000 arrivals in 2022 to 501,000 in 2024." According to the report, India likewise saw a 297% rebound from pre-Covid levels.

Indian visitors are another important market for Singapore. Two months ahead of schedule compared to 2023, Indian tourists reached the one million mark in October of 2024. At that time, the Singapore Tourism Board stated that it anticipated 1.2 million Indian visitors by the end of 2024. The Skift research also stated that India had grown by 12% to become Singapore's third-largest source market.