In a year when India's travel and hospitality business was hit badly by a sharp drop in the number of international tourist arrivals, and even after recession-hit corporate houses cut back on foreign travel by their executives, the number of outbound Indians jumped by a million in 2008-09 to cross the 10-million mark for the first time ever.
Figures released by the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), the number of Indians travelling abroad in 2008-09 (April 1 to March 31) touched 10.8 million, which was up by a million over the 2007-08 figure of 9.8 million. And the global industry body is upbeat that the outbound India story is only going to get rosier.
"The Indian economy wasn't as badly hit by recession as many of the economies elsewhere in the world that are still feeling its effect," said Himmat Anand, cochairman, Ficci tourism committee.
"As a result, India's outbound travel pie is getting bigger and it is evident from the more than 25 countries and cities opening their tourism offices here in the past couple of years." The WTTC report says India now is the third largest outbound travel market in the Asia Pacific region. It also predicts that the world's travel and tourism economy's size will contract by 3.6 per cent this year, but economies such as India, China and Brazil will still be drivers of growth.
Singapore, incidentally, has emerged as the most visited country for Indians travelling abroad, followed by the UAE, UK and the US. Another reason for the dramatic rise in the number of outbound Indian travellers is the drop in airfares and hotel prices worldwide, which has made foreign vacation packages cheaper. "Hotel prices have come down by 25-40 per cent in south-east Asia and Europe, and air connectivity from various Indian cities is up considerably, making it cheaper to travel abroad," said Ashwini Kakkar, executive vice-chairman, Mercury Travels.
"Over the past year, the dollar, too, is almost 10 per cent cheaper, dipping from Rs 51 to Rs 46. For outbound Indians, it’s the best time to travel" he added.
The sense of optimism is also apparent from the pronouncements of tour operators. Cox & Kings (India), according to a spokesperson, is expecting a 10 per cent growth in the number of outbound Indian tourists in 2009-10.
"The cost of travel services around the world dropped as a result of recession, and overseas tour operators passed on the benefits to Indian tourists, resulting in more travellers visiting foreign destinations," the spokesperson said.
"What has kept the market going is the decision by hoteliers overseas to not hike prices even after the start of 'on-season'," added Kakkar. "So for all those who love the idea of travelling abroad on a vacation, the conditions are favourable because of the end of recession and it helps that prices haven't been any better." The message seems to have travelled across the outbound market.
The Figure
The World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) says the number of Indians travelling abroad in 2008-09 (April 1 to March 31) touched 10.8 mn, up by a million over the 2007-08 figure of 9.8 mn.
India is now the third-largest outbound travel market in the Asia Pacific region.
Reason
The drop in airfares and hotel prices worldwide, which has made foreign vacations cheaper for Indians.
Prediction
The size of the world's tourism economy will contract by 3.6% this year, but economies such as India, China and Brazil will still be drivers of growth. Global travel giant Cox & Kings (India) is expecting a 10% growth in the number of outbound Indian tourists in 2009-10.
Most-preferred places
Indians prefer Singapore, followed by the UAE, UK and the US High on travel map.
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