Dubai is no longer the most popular destination for Indian travelers after they have opted for Bangkok, data from digital travel platform Agoda reveals.
The new rankings come from Agoda’s booking data since November 10, 2023, when Thailand started permitting tourists from India to reach the country without visas, VisaGuide.World reports.
The recent findings of Agoda show that the decision of Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia’s governments to facilitate their visa policies for travelers from India has led to an increase in booking trends.
In addition, a beach destination in Thailand, Pattaya, also moved up from fifth to third position in the rankings.
A larger number of countries are opening their borders to tourists from India. Holders of passports issued by authorities in India are eligible to travel visa-free to 29 countries, while they are required to apply for a visa when planning to travel to 129 countries, based on the Passport Index of VisaGuide.World that ranks passports of a total of 199 countries in terms of the strength of their passport.
According to Agoda, the following destinations are now the most favorite ones for Indians, in addition to Bangkok:
- Dubai
- Pattaya
- Singapore
- Bali
Agoda CEO Omri Morgenshtern, during his visit to India last year, mentioned India as one of the most important markets for Agoda in the APAC region.
Krishna Rathi, Country Director India, Sri Lanka, and Maldives at Agoda, considered the relaxation of visa norms an accelerator for India’s outbound travel landscape.
More and more destinations are recognizing India’s potential as a key source market. With Bangkok now leading over Dubai and Pattaya rising in the ranks, it’s clear that Southeast Asia’s allure is growing stronger. The fact that many of these destinations can now be visited without having to worry about the paperwork will likely encourage even more Indian travelers to go abroad and explore.
On November 10 last year, Thailand introduced a visa waiver for Indian tourists, thus granting a 30-day visa-free stay for leisure purposes to those holding Indian passports or travel documents.
Back then, authorities in this country announced that the decision would remain effective until May 10, 2024.
Following the decision, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) also organized an exclusive reception at Suvarnabhumi Airport to mark the arrival of IndiGo Flight 6E 1639 from New Delhi, India.
This special airport event symbolizes Thailand’s invitation to Indian tourists to take advantage of the tourist visa exemption during the six months. The event reflects the Thai government’s commitment to easing visa and immigration procedures for foreign tourists, especially during this high season.
Authorities in Thailand announced that the decision was introduced as part of efforts to boost tourism.