'Travellers are considering safer and more stable destinations.'
With the war in West Asia raging on, outbound travel from India is set to witness a shift in the opposite direction -- eastwards.
Destinations such as Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore, Mauritius, Bali, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, the Philippines and even far-east countries like Japan, Australia and New Zealand are becoming more popular.
Visa-on-arrival facilities at many of these countries and higher propensity of travellers to spend due to rupee depreciating versus the dollar, have also made these destinations more attractive amid larger geopolitical uncertainty, said market watchers.
"In the past, we have observed that in cases of region-specific disruption, people don't give up on their trips, they figure out and book an alternative destination, whether domestic or a non-impacted international one. We are seeing the same pattern now," said Rajesh Magow, cofounder and group CEO, MakeMyTrip.
Rajeev Kale, president and country head, Holidays, MICE, Visa, Thomas Cook (India) Limited, said, "The global travel landscape has become increasingly dynamic."
"Recognising the geopolitical uncertainty in very specific parts of the world, we are witnessing growing interest for destinations across the Far East, including Japan, Australia and New Zealand, alongside closer-to-home favourites such as Sri Lanka, Nepal, and Bhutan," says Kale
Of the total outbound travel from India, the United Arab Emirates makes up the largest chunk with over 8.6 million arrivals.
Global estimates suggested West Asia tourism could see an 11 to 27 per cent decline in arrivals and a loss of up to 23 to 38 million visitors in 2026, pointed out Anil Kalsi, board member of the Federation of Associations in Indian Tourism and Hospitality.
"With bookings down by 30-60 per cent on certain routes, especially those linked to or transiting through West Asia, travellers are considering safer and more stable destinations," he said.
"We are observing a clear shift in travellers' preference toward Southeast Asia, driven by proximity, affordability, and perceived stability. Destinations such as Thailand, Malaysia, and Vietnam are seeing stronger traction across both leisure and MICE segments," said Vinod Kumar Sah, cofounder, CoTrav.
S D Nandakumar, president and country head -- holidays and corporate tours, SOTC Travel, said "experiential travel segments such as cruising are gaining traction, with strong interest in sailings across Asia, including the upcoming Disney Adventure from Singapore, which is driving demand among Indian families seeking immersive cruise holidays."
As a corollary, travel to Europe and the UK, typically including a halt in West Asia, has become more expensive, leading to players like SOTC and Thomas Cook offering discounts and deals for the upcoming summer travel season.
"On the domestic tourism front, while business travel remains largely unaffected, leisure travel is likely to start picking up now as the summer season kicks in and the exam season coming to an end," Magow added.
"We are also seeing a behavioural trend where some travellers are postponing international trips in the near term and opting for domestic travel instead," CoTrav's Sah added.
Thomas Cook's Kale concurred with the trend, adding that domestic favourites such Himachal Pradesh, Andamans and Kerala are also witnessing growing interest.
"India's spiritual destinations are also witnessing renewed relevance with interest for spiritual circuits such as Char Dham and Kailash Mansarovar," he said.
Feature Presentation: Ashish Narsale/Rediff