India’s Rising Tourism Power: How Bangkok is Becoming the Top Destination for⁢ Indian Tourists

Reported by⁤ Pridi Bunsue

According‌ to a report by McKinsey, “From India to the world: Unleashing India’s tourist potential” (2023), the world will witness a wave of Indian ‍tourist travel in the next 10 years. This is due to India’s growing ​economy and rapid economic growth, making it‍ an important market​ in the ⁢world.

India’s Tourism Potential

Today, India is the world’s ​fifth-largest economy and has the world’s most populous population ​of over 1.4 billion people. The average age of the population is 27.6, and by 2030, it is expected that the ⁢consumption of Indian goods and services, ⁣including travel, will double. ‌These factors show India’s potential to be an important source of tourism outside the country (outbound tourism).

90 Million Indian Tourists by 2040

A report by The Economist, “The Indians are‌ coming,” states that the rapid growth of the​ economy has made millions of ​Indians escape poverty. What is not clear is⁤ that India’s growing consumer class will have an impact on other countries. However, in 10 years, the number of Indians traveling abroad will double to 27 million in 2019. Between⁤ 2010 and 2023, spending abroad will triple to $33 billion.

The McKinsey report predicts that by 2040, the number of ⁣Indians traveling out of the country will reach 80-90‍ million, almost no different from Chinese people who traveled out of the country at 104 million in 2019.

Thailand’s Strengths in the Indian Market

A report by The Economist said that Thailand is ‌attracting ⁤tourists from ​India​ because it is a cheap tourist attraction, convenient to travel, ‍and friendly ‍to Indian tourists. This last point is important, as Indian passport holders have ⁣limited visa-free travel options. Thailand canceled visas for Indians last year, causing‍ the number of ⁤tourists ⁣to surge immediately.

Creating Value for Indian Tourists

McKinsey and The Economist report that⁣ factors that will create value in Indian tourist‌ destinations include:

• Easy entry into the country, with convenient visa processes.
• Convenient flights, especially direct flights, making ‍travel seamless.
• Tour programs ⁣at prices suitable for different groups of Indian tourists, with options for solo ⁤travelers, families, or married couples.
• Creating travel experiences friendly to Indian tourists, such as the prevalence of Indian food, especially vegetarian options.

Thailand’s Tourism ​Strategy

Thailand has used various marketing promotions in the last 10 years to attract tourists from India,​ targeting different groups such‌ as Indian users, travel agencies, and ⁢specialized product business groups. Campaigns have included “Discover Thainess” in 2015, “Amazing Thailand,‌ amazing romance” in 2016, “Fly‌ me to ​Thailand” in 2019, and “Visit Thailand Year 2022: Amazing new⁢ chapters” in 2022.

These campaigns​ have helped make Thailand a tourist attraction ⁤for all groups of people in India. The rewards ⁣and ⁤success that Thailand got⁤ from these campaigns include ⁢a rise in Indian tourists to 3rd place (1.9 million people) in 2019, up from 7th place in 2014. Indian online travel agents have also named Thailand the number 1 destination in⁣ 2023.

Documentation
The Indians are coming,⁤ The Economist, August 24th-30th 2024.
From India to the world: ⁣Unleashing India’s tourist potential, November 1, 2023, McKinsey & Company.