Efforts to exploit the Indian tourist market

With a population of over 1.4 billion, including 30 million foreign tourists each year, India is a very potential tourist market for Khanh Hoa tourism to exploit. However, after many years of efforts, the number of Indian tourists to Khanh Hoa is still very low, the main reason is the lack of direct flights from India to Khanh Hoa.

The number of visitors is still modest.

India is a very potential market, a necessary addition to the international tourist segment of Khanh Hoa tourism , in line with the province's strategy of diversifying tourist sources. Therefore, in recent years, the province has organized many activities to promote and open the Indian tourist market such as: Organizing a conference to promote Khanh Hoa tourism in India; welcoming famtrip delegations of Indian tourism enterprises to survey Nha Trang - Khanh Hoa tourism products... Most recently, in early October 2025, the Provincial Center for Investment, Trade and Tourism Promotion coordinated with Anex Vietnam Trade and Tourism Company Limited to welcome a famtrip delegation of 42 guests who are leading Indian wedding organizers to survey wedding tourism in Khanh Hoa. The famtrip delegation surveyed many 5-star resorts to discuss cooperation, organize weddings and high-end tours for Indian tourists. Ms. Nguyen Huong Thuy - Representative of Anex Vietnam Trading and Tourism Company Limited said that the famtrip delegation of Indian tourism companies highly appreciated the potential of organizing wedding tours for Indian guests in Khanh Hoa, but up to now, no unit has raised the issue of organizing wedding parties for Indian guests in Khanh Hoa.

A famtrip delegation of an Indian tourism company came to Khanh Hoa to survey wedding and tourism services in early October 2025.

The number of Indian tourists to Khanh Hoa is very modest compared to the total number of Indian tourists to Vietnam. Statistics from the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism show that in the first 10 months of 2025, nearly 575,000 Indian tourists visited Vietnam, an increase of 45.7% over the same period in 2024; while Khanh Hoa only attracted about 6,020 visitors, an increase of 4.4%. The main reason why Indian tourists rarely choose Khanh Hoa is the lack of direct flights and the low awareness of Khanh Hoa tourism in the Indian tourist market. “Indian tourism businesses highly appreciate the tourism potential of Khanh Hoa, but the lack of direct flights has almost closed the door to attracting Indian tourists to Khanh Hoa. Indian tourists have the habit of traveling for 5-7 days and like to visit many destinations. Having to transit to Nha Trang becomes a big barrier. Therefore, instead of going to Khanh Hoa, they choose other destinations with more convenient connections,” said Mr. Le Dai Hai - General Manager of Ana Mandara Cam Ranh.

Still have to persistently "knock on the door"

Lack of direct flights and low destination recognition make it difficult for Khanh Hoa tourism to attract Indian tourists. To open up this billion-person tourist market, while waiting for direct flights, Khanh Hoa tourism needs to be more proactive in approaching the Indian tourist market, to gradually build the image of Nha Trang - Khanh Hoa destination in the minds of Indian tourists. Mr. Phan Dinh Thao - General Director of HTS International Travel Company said: "Khanh Hoa tourism must come up with support policies, convincing travel agencies to include Nha Trang in the tour schedule for Indian tourists when flying to Ho Chi Minh City or Da Nang. Gradually, Indian tourists will have the need to travel to Nha Trang - Khanh Hoa".

Indian artists visit Po Nagar Tower in August 2024.

In the long term, to attract Indian tourists, Khanh Hoa tourism must promote communication and advertising in major Indian cities such as Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore and Hyderabad to introduce tourism products, strengthen digital communication; develop specific tourism products for the Indian market, especially wedding tourism. During their visits to Khanh Hoa, representatives of many Indian travel agencies assessed that Khanh Hoa has the potential to organize wedding tours for wealthy Indians, especially 5-day, 4-night weddings with 400-500 guests. "If we can organize lavish weddings for Indian billionaires, Khanh Hoa tourism will make a big splash, attracting the attention of Indian tourists," said Mr. Vineet Jain - a member of the Indian travel agency delegation.

According to Indian tourism experts, to do this, Khanh Hoa tourism industry not only invites famtrip groups to survey, but also needs to regularly contact and connect with businesses specializing in organizing tourism services for the rich Indian; connect with airlines, destinations... to offer preferential policies to invite Indian travel agencies to organize wedding parties, high-end tours for the rich to create a boost for the Indian tourist market. Along with that, strengthen training of human resources to serve the Indian tourist market; prepare facilities to be able to welcome large groups of tourists from this country.

The Indian tourist market is a "gold mine" that many major tourist centers are focusing on exploiting. According to Mr. Pham Minh Nhut - Chairman of Khanh Hoa Tourism Association, to open up this tourist market, Khanh Hoa tourism industry needs to take bolder steps, more drastic actions to remove bottlenecks in flight routes, create events to stimulate demand. That is a strategic investment for the future of Khanh Hoa tourism so that it does not depend on a few traditional markets but aims at a diverse, sustainable and potential tourist market.

XUAN THANH

Source: https://baokhanhhoa.vn/du-lich/202511/no-luckhai-thacthi-truong-khach-an-do-fa46551/