Tag Archives: India Outbound

As per Mabrian’s, ‘India Market Insights: Outbound & Inbound’ report, launched during WTM 2024, several destinations are rising in Europe for Indian arrivals. Spain saw a 3.8% surge in demand, alongside Austria (+9.8%) and Greece (+18.3%), which witnessed highest growth in the past 12 months.

VFS Global has worked with the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland since 2010 and under the new agreement will continue to provide Schengen short terms visa services and Residence permit services including biometric enrolment in 32 countries (including India) across 10 regions. Since 2010, VFS Global has handled more than 8.5 million visa applications on behalf of the Government of Finland. The Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland said, “We anticipate a seamless and professional collaboration with VFS Global. In our tender, we especially highlighted the global coverage of the outsourced services, quality of biometrics and technical capacity, quality control, risk management and customer service. The external service provider receives applications, collects biometric data and application fees and forwards them to the missions. It does not make visa decisions. Visa decisions continue to be the responsibility of Foreign Ministry officials.” Jiten Vyas, Chief Commercial Officer and Head of Business Development, VFS Global, said, “VFS Global is delighted that we will continue to serve the Government of Finland as their trusted service provider. We have enjoyed a strong partnership with the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland and welcome the opportunity to renew our services. We look forward to offering visa applicants best-in-class visa solutions, and a seamless application process across 10 regions globally.” 10 regions worldwide where these services will continue to operate are South Asia, the Americas, Southeast Asia, China, the Middle East, North Africa, Africa, Europe, CIS and Russia. VFS Global is responsible for managing the front-end administrative duties only. This includes the collection of application forms and required documents as per the checklist as well as the enrolment of biometrics. VFS Global does not play a …

The Aviation and Tourism Committee of Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC) welcomed the Hon’ble H.E. Dr. Mohamed Muizzu, President, Republic of Maldives and his delegation on their historical visit to India. Dr. Subhash Goyal, Chairman, Expert Committee on Aviation & Tourism and STIC Travel Group, said that, “This visit should iron out the differences and misunderstandings that may have existed.” He also said, “India’s outbound travel market is about 25 million and Indian tourists prefer destinations where they are welcomed and where there are no visa restrictions.” Dr. Goyal further added, “the acceptance of Indian Rupees will help Indian tourists to visit Maldives in large numbers. I had the pleasure of meeting and interacting with the Hon’ble President, the Hon’ble Finance Minister and the accompanied business delegation during the reception organised in their honour by the Indian industry yesterday at ITC Maurya, New Delhi. I found a lot of warmth and a keen desire to do business with India and I am confident that this visit will be a grand success.”

Tourism Malaysia, in collaboration with the Malaysian Indian Travel & Tours Association (MITTA), announced the successful culmination of its extensive roadshow. Following successful events in Trivandrum on 23 September, Calicut on 25 September, and Bhubaneswar on 27 September, the roadshow concluded in Guwahati on 30 September. This initiative marks a significant step in strengthening Malaysia’s presence in the Indian travel market and promoting its diverse tourism offerings. The roadshow aims to foster deeper connections with travel agents and highlight Malaysia’s appeal as a premier travel destination. Ahmad Johanif Mohd Ali, Director, Tourism Malaysia Delhi, emphasised the importance of this event, stating, “Our roadshow is a strategic move to engage directly with Indian travel agents. We are eager to showcase Malaysia’s vibrant culture, stunning landscapes, and exceptional hospitality, ensuring that travel agents have the latest information to offer their clients.” A key feature of the roadshow will be the participation of 25 prominent Malaysian hoteliers and travel agents. These industry representatives will engage in one-on-one business meetings with their Indian counterparts, fostering collaborations and exploring new opportunities. The initiative also serves as a prelude to the much-anticipated Visit Malaysia 2026 campaign, which aims to position Malaysia as a top global travel destination. Noriah Jaafar, Director, Tourism Malaysia Mumbai, commented, “With direct flight connections from major Indian cities, including the recently resumed service by Air India after a 16-year hiatus, Malaysia is more accessible than ever. Our roadshow is designed to highlight the ease of travel and the multitude of experiences Malaysia offers to all types of travellers.” The diverse tourism offerings in Malaysia cater to a wide range of interests and demographics. Whether it is a family vacation, a romantic honeymoon, …

~Set across Chandigarh, Nagpur & Kochi, the initiative will educate over 600 travel partners on new destination offerings~ Aiming to attract 100,000 inbound travellers from India by end of the year, South African Tourism has returned with its 2024 edition of ‘Learn South Africa’ initiative. Entering the tier-2 and tier-3 outbound tourism markets of India, the flagship travel trade training workshop will enlighten the tourism board’s travel partners with renewed strategy and equip them with tools to market the Rainbow Nation effectively. In the recent years, there has been a strong uptick in the number of arrivals from India to South Africa. Capitalising on this momentum and in efforts to target emerging markets from the country, South African Tourism’s 3-city destination workshop is set to commence in Chandigarh on 27th September followed by Nagpur on 8th November and Kochi on 13th December. The workshop not only enables the tourism board to share its learnings with the travel trade fraternity but also support its partners in overcoming any obstacles they experience while promoting the destination. Cognizant of India’s outbound tourism potential and its role in achieving South Africa’s long term tourism goals, India is amongst the top 3 focus markets for South African Tourism. With a strong foothold across key metro cities and observing a trend of rising discretionary spendings from tier-2 and tier-3 cities of India, it is vital for the tourism board to continually target newer markets to uphold the increased inclination towards international travel. Programs such as ‘Learn SA’ are instrumental in projecting the Rainbow Nation as a premier leisure and MICE destination. Commenting on ‘Learn South Africa’ 2024 edition, Gcobani Mancotywa, Regional General Manager, Asia, Australasia, Middle …