Free visas no motivation as higher airfares suck the joy out of international trips
visa policies for nearby international destinations have fueled a surge in airfares, impacting travel choices.
Popular and easily accessible destinations like Thailand, Sri Lanka, and Malaysia have become visa-free for Indian travelers, leading to a spike in demand and subsequently driving airfares to new highs. Almost all international airlines, with the exception of the United States, have fully resumed connections to India. Indian carriers have also increased flights abroad for the winter season, resulting in more competitive airfares to distant European and North American destinations.
According to a TOI report, the Delhi-Phuket economy return this Christmas starts at Rs 50,000, significantly higher than the average of Rs 30,000 a few months ago. In contrast, Delhi-London flights begin at Rs 70,000, a notable reduction from the Rs 90-95,000 range seen during the summer.
“In comparison to last year, all international airlines are now operational for routes like Delhi-Dubai, or Saudi and to London, hence airfares for these sectors are down by about 20-25%. On the other hand, airfares for popular Southeast Asian destinations like Vietnam, Thailand and Malaysia have more than doubled in comparison to last year for this period,” a spokesperson for travel portal Yatra told TOI.
Anil Kalsi, Vice President of the Travel Agents Federation of India, told TOI that there is a «serious» demand for both domestic and international destinations this winter, with Southeast Asia being particularly popular. The visa-free status has made a significant impact, with destinations like Thailand witnessing a doubling of Indian tourist arrivals after granting visa exemption from November 10, 2023.
Indian travellers
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