More Indians are travelling overseas than ever before never mind the stiff bill.
On Monday, visa service specialist VFS Global said visa applications from India surpassed the pre-pandemic level for the first time between January-June 2024.
Volumes recorded for the first half of 2024 were 2 per cent and 11 per cent higher compared to the same period in 2019 and 2023. VFS Global manages visa applications for 51 countries.
15 m travellers in H1
Government data, too, shows an increase in overseas travel. In the six months till June, over 15 million Indians flew overseas, with over 40 per cent of them travelling for leisure, according to Tourism Ministry data. The total number of Indians travelling in the first six months of 2024 increased by 13.7 per cent over the same period in 2023 and 12.2 per cent over 2019, it said.
Higher demand and increase in airfares and room rates are spiking up tour costs but that has not dented the appetite of the globetrotters, say travel companies.
“Overseas tours are indeed more expensive in 2024 compared to last year. Several factors have contributed to this increase including rising airfares and higher accommodation costs,” said Dhruv Shringi, Co-founder and CEO of Yatra.com.
SOTC Travel’s President and Country Head (Holidays) Daniel D’souza said there has been an average increase in tour prices of 10-15 per cent. Other factors contributing to higher tour prices include increase in Schengen and New Zealand visitor visa fees.
Entrance fees to the popular Masai Mara national reserve in Kenya have nearly tripled from $70 to $200 for the peak season.
Cities in Europe such as Barcelona and Venice have levied or have increased taxes on visitors on concerns of “over tourism.”
stiffer bill
According to SOTC Travel, a 15-day group tour to Europe is priced at ₹3.75 lakh per person this year compared to ₹3.4 lakh last year. An eight-day Japan tour will set a person back by ₹2.75 lakh (₹2.47 lakh).
A seven-day group tour to South-East Asia is now priced at ₹1.3 lakh (₹1.2 lakh).