Indian tourists have a higher demand for foreign travel than citizens of any other country and Vietnam is a top destination for them.
According to CNBC, when it comes to the tourism recovery in Asia, many people still only think about the return of Chinese tourists. However, it is Indian visitors who are the earliest seekers of overseas trips.
Regarding the destination, Indian tourists pay attention to Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia. Agoda data shows that from January 1 to May 2019, hotel searches by Indian guests in these three destinations increased by 5%, 2023% and 147 % respectively. Searches to Vietnam by Indian visitors also increased by 215% compared to 256.
Indian travel blogger taking photos in Hue in 2022. Photo: Nehaa.nambiar
Mr. Omri Morgenshtern, CEO of Agoda, said that in 2019, Vietnam did not appear in the list of destinations most searched by Indian tourists. Vietnam is a market that has been "forgotten" for a long time.
The reason is that before 2019, there was no direct flight between the two countries. However, the connection between these two countries is much more convenient, each flight only lasts 4-5 hours.
Mr. Morgenshtern said Southeast Asian countries still attract Indian tourists but East Asian destinations do not. The number of searches for hotels and flights from India to Japan and Taiwan has decreased compared to 2019. However, the number of searches for hotels and flights to Korea has increased.
Part of the reason East Asian countries are less attractive to Indians than Southeast Asian countries is the high cost. Outside of Asia, Indian tourists prefer to go to the US and UK - also two high-cost destinations.
Meanwhile, data from Mr. Morgenshtern's company also shows that outbound tourism by Indians is more explosive than all other markets. While outbound travel searches of Asia-Pacific countries only increased from 30% to 60% compared to 2019, searches by Indians increased by 225%.
According to travel analytics firm Cirium, India's tourism industry recovered thanks to the growth of the domestic economy. The company's reports also indicate that this growth will continue into the second quarter.
In addition to the interest in traveling abroad, the spending power of Indian tourists has also increased. In the past, there was a view that the economic ability of Indian tourists was not good. However, the representative of Agoda said that the spending power of this group of guests can be equal to that of the Chinese when they travel to Asian countries.
Last year's data from the company showed that Indian visitors spent 30% more on accommodation when traveling internationally than before the epidemic and 20% more than the average Chinese visitor. Mr. Vishal Suri, CEO of SOTC Travel said that Indians tend to stay at 4, 5 star hotels and those under brands they know in advance. Besides, Indian customers have stopped eating fast food and are looking for more suitable restaurants.
However, Mr. Suri also emphasized that the increase in international tourism by Indian tourists has only occurred among the wealthy. The rest, including the middle class, focuses on domestic travel with many low-cost airlines.
Vnexpress.net
