Field notes
Indian Outbound Tourism Statistics: Data & Trends [Updated Annually]
Indian outbound tourism refers to the aggregate international travel activity of Indian passport holders, measured by departure volume, foreign exchange spend, and destination preference. Indian outbound tourism statistics show approximately 27–28 million international departures in 2023, with total spend estimated at USD 17–18 billion. This page compiles government, RBI, and UNWTO data in one place, updated annually.
How many Indians travel abroad each year?
India recorded approximately 27–28 million international tourist departures in 2023, according to Ministry of Tourism India and UNWTO data. This figure represents a near-full recovery from the COVID-19 disruption, approaching the 2019 pre-pandemic baseline of roughly 26–27 million departures.
International departures from India collapsed to under 7 million in 2020 due to border closures and flight suspensions. Recovery was gradual through 2021 and 2022, with volumes reaching approximately 19–20 million in 2022 before rebounding sharply in 2023.
The Ministry of Tourism India publishes annual departure data in its Indian Tourism Statistics report. The UNWTO cross-references these figures in its global tourism barometer. Both sources confirm 2023 as the strongest post-pandemic year for Indian outbound volumes.
Departure volumes are measured at the point of exit from Indian international airports. The top five departure airports by outbound volume are Delhi Indira Gandhi, Mumbai Chhatrapati Shivaji, Bengaluru Kempegowda, Hyderabad Rajiv Gandhi, and Chennai. These five airports together account for over 70% of total international departures.
Business travel contributes roughly 25–30% of total outbound departures. Leisure travel accounts for the remaining 70–75%, based on FICCI outbound travel survey data. The leisure share has grown steadily since 2015 as middle-income households increased discretionary travel spend.
Domestic travel within India also grew significantly over the same period. The Andaman & Nicobar Islands, for instance, attracted over 600,000 domestic visitors in 2023. Many travellers consider Andaman a cost-comparable alternative to short-haul Southeast Asian trips.
Related: Andaman tour packages
How much do Indian tourists spend on international travel?
Indian travellers spent an estimated USD 17–18 billion on international travel in 2023, based on RBI Balance of Payments data tracking outward remittances under the travel account head. This translates to roughly INR 1.4–1.5 lakh crore in total outbound travel expenditure for the year.
"India's travel account deficit widened to approximately USD 17 billion in FY2023–24, reflecting strong outbound leisure and business travel demand." — Reserve Bank of India, Balance of Payments data, 2024
Per-trip average spend varies significantly by segment. Leisure travellers on a 7–10 night trip to Southeast Asia typically spend USD 1,500–2,500 per person. Long-haul travellers to the USA or UK spend USD 4,000–7,000 per person on a comparable trip duration, per FICCI-Yatra survey estimates.
The middle-class segment — households earning INR 5–25 lakh annually — now accounts for a growing share of outbound spend. This segment prioritises value-for-money destinations with e-visa access and direct flight connectivity from Tier-1 and Tier-2 Indian cities.
Spend composition also matters. Accommodation and flights together account for approximately 55–60% of total trip spend for Indian outbound travellers. Food, local transport, shopping, and activities make up the remaining 40–45%. Shopping spend is notably higher for travellers visiting Dubai and Singapore, where duty-free retail is a primary trip motivation.
Foreign exchange outflows under the travel account have grown at roughly 9–10% annually over the past five years. The RBI Liberalised Remittance Scheme allows Indian residents to remit up to USD 250,000 per financial year for travel and other purposes. Most leisure travellers spend well within this limit, but the cap is relevant for long-duration or multi-destination trips.
Which countries do Indian tourists visit the most?
UAE, Thailand, and Singapore consistently rank as the top three outbound destinations for Indian tourists by annual visitor volume. The Maldives, USA, UK, and Malaysia round out the top seven. Proximity, visa ease, and direct flight availability drive destination choice for most Indian travellers.
The table below summarises estimated Indian visitor volumes, visa requirements, and approximate trip costs for the top outbound destinations in 2023.
| Destination | Estimated Indian Visitors (2023) | Visa Requirement for Indians | Approximate Trip Cost per Person (INR, 7 nights) |
|---|---|---|---|
| UAE (Dubai) | ~3.5 million | Visa on arrival / e-Visa | INR 80,000–1,40,000 |
| Thailand | ~1.6 million | Visa on arrival (30 days) | INR 60,000–1,00,000 |
| Singapore | ~1.4 million | Visa required (e-application) | INR 90,000–1,50,000 |
| Maldives | ~2.0 million | Visa on arrival (30 days) | INR 1,20,000–2,50,000 |
| USA | ~1.4 million | B1/B2 visa required | INR 2,50,000–5,00,000 |
| UK | ~0.9 million | UK Standard Visitor Visa required | INR 2,00,000–4,00,000 |
| Malaysia | ~1.1 million | eNTRI / visa on arrival | INR 55,000–95,000 |
What visa access do Indians have for top outbound destinations?
Indian passport holders can access approximately 60 countries without a prior visa as of 2024, per the Henley Passport Index. This includes visa-on-arrival access to Thailand, UAE, Maldives, and Malaysia — all top-five outbound destinations. The USA, UK, and Singapore require advance visa applications, which adds lead time and cost to trip planning.
Visa-on-arrival access is a primary factor in destination selection for first-time international travellers from India. Countries that simplified or introduced e-visa systems post-2022 saw measurable increases in Indian visitor arrivals.
The Singapore e-visa application typically takes 3–5 working days and costs SGD 30. The US B1/B2 visa requires an in-person interview and currently has wait times of 300–500 days at Indian consulates. This wait time is a significant deterrent for spontaneous or short-notice US travel planning.
How does outbound destination cost compare to Andaman for Indian travellers?
A 7-night Andaman trip from Chennai or Kolkata costs approximately INR 35,000–70,000 per person including flights, hotels, and ferry transfers. Thailand and Malaysia are the closest outbound alternatives in the same price band, at INR 55,000–1,00,000 per person. UAE and Maldives cost roughly 1.5–2x more than an equivalent Andaman trip.
For travellers comparing value, Andaman offers beach and water activity experiences at a lower total cost than most short-haul international options, with no visa requirement or foreign exchange spend.
Related: Andaman Beach packages
What is the growth rate of Indian outbound tourism?
Indian outbound tourism grew at a compound annual growth rate of approximately 7–8% in the decade before COVID-19. Post-pandemic recovery has been sharp, with 2023 volumes near 2019 levels. Forecasts from FICCI and UNWTO project India's outbound market to reach 50 million annual departures by 2030.
| Year | Estimated International Departures (millions) | Year-on-Year Change (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 26.9 | +5.5% |
| 2020 | 6.8 | -74.7% |
| 2021 | 8.1 | +19.1% |
| 2022 | 19.6 | +141.9% |
| 2023 | 27.4 | +39.8% |
| 2024 (forecast) | 30–32 | +10–17% (projected) |
The middle-class traveller segment is the fastest-growing outbound cohort. Households earning INR 5–25 lakh annually now represent a larger share of outbound departures than the premium segment. LCC international route expansion by IndiGo and Air India has directly enabled this segment to access short-haul international travel at lower fares than were available before 2022.
The 2024 forecast of 30–32 million departures is supported by continued airline capacity additions and a pipeline of new e-visa agreements between India and destination countries.
India's outbound market is also becoming more geographically distributed. Before 2019, over 60% of outbound departures originated from Delhi and Mumbai. By 2023, that share had dropped to approximately 52%, as Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, and Kochi added direct international routes. This decentralisation is structurally important — it means outbound growth is no longer dependent on metro city income growth alone.
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Which traveller segments are driving Indian outbound growth?
Indian outbound tourism growth is led by three distinct traveller segments: middle-income family travellers aged 30–45, young independent travellers aged 22–32, and senior travellers aged 55 and above. Each segment has different destination preferences, booking behaviour, and average spend levels that shape overall outbound market composition.
Middle-income family travellers represent the largest volume segment. This group typically travels during school holidays in May–June and December–January. Thailand, Malaysia, and UAE are the top three destinations for this segment, based on booking data from Indian OTAs. Average trip duration is 6–8 nights, with per-person spend of INR 70,000–1,20,000.
Young independent travellers aged 22–32 are the fastest-growing segment by booking volume. This group books primarily through OTAs and social platforms. Southeast Asia — particularly Bali, Bangkok, and Vietnam — dominates their destination choices. Average trip duration is shorter at 5–7 nights, but frequency is higher, with many in this segment taking two international trips per year.
Senior travellers aged 55 and above are an emerging segment. Group tour packages to Europe, Australia, and Japan are the most common format for this group. Average spend per person is higher — INR 2,00,000–4,00,000 per trip — because this segment prioritises comfort and guided experiences over budget accommodation.
The table below compares key characteristics across the three primary outbound traveller segments.
| Traveller Segment | Primary Destinations | Average Trip Duration | Average Spend per Person (INR) | Primary Booking Channel |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Middle-income families (30–45 yrs) | Thailand, UAE, Malaysia | 6–8 nights | 70,000–1,20,000 | OTA + travel agent |
| Young independent (22–32 yrs) | Bali, Bangkok, Vietnam | 5–7 nights | 50,000–90,000 | OTA / direct booking |
| Senior travellers (55+ yrs) | Europe, Australia, Japan | 10–14 nights | 2,00,000–4,00,000 | Offline travel agent |
Honeymoon travellers form a fourth notable sub-segment. The Maldives and Bali are the top two honeymoon destinations for Indian couples. Average honeymoon trip spend is INR 1,50,000–2,50,000 per couple for a 5–7 night trip. This sub-segment books further in advance — typically 60–90 days before travel — compared to the 20–30 day average booking window for leisure trips.
Related: Andaman Family packages
When do most Indians travel internationally?
Summer (May–June) and winter (December–January) represent the two peak outbound travel windows from India. May–June travel is driven by school summer holidays, with families accounting for the largest share of departures. December–January sees a spike from the Christmas–New Year break and wedding season travel.
May and December are the two highest-volume months for international departures from Indian airports, based on DGCA traffic data. Airlines add international capacity on key routes — Dubai, Bangkok, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur — during both windows, which also pushes fares higher by 20–35% compared to shoulder months.
October–November and February–March are the lowest-demand outbound months. Travellers booking during these windows typically get better fares and hotel availability at the same destinations.
Advance booking lead time also varies by season. Peak season international trips are typically booked 45–75 days in advance. Shoulder season trips are often booked 15–30 days out. This difference in lead time affects how tour operators and airlines price inventory across the year.
The same peak periods apply to domestic travel. Andaman sees its highest inbound volumes in December–January and April–May, which mirrors the outbound peak exactly. Travellers who cannot secure international bookings during these windows often redirect to Andaman as an alternative.
Related: Andaman Summer packages
What factors are driving growth in Indian outbound tourism?
Indian outbound tourism growth is driven by four structural factors: rising household incomes, low-cost carrier international route expansion, digital booking penetration, and gradual improvement in Indian passport visa access. Each factor independently increases the addressable outbound traveller base.
India's per-capita income crossed USD 2,500 in 2023. The number of households earning above INR 5 lakh annually is projected to double by 2030. This income growth directly expands the pool of Indians who can afford international travel.
IndiGo and Air India together added over 40 new international routes between 2022 and 2024. Direct connectivity from Tier-2 cities — Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Pune, Kochi — to Dubai, Bangkok, and Singapore has reduced the friction of international travel for non-metro travellers.
Online travel agency penetration in India reached approximately 45% of total travel bookings in 2023, per industry estimates. Younger travellers aged 25–35 now book international trips independently, without relying on offline agents, which has shortened the decision-to-booking cycle.
The Henley Passport Index ranked India's passport 80th globally in 2024. While this limits visa-free access compared to Southeast Asian peers, incremental e-visa agreements — particularly with Gulf and ASEAN countries — continue to reduce barriers for the most popular outbound corridors.
Currency stability also plays a role. The Indian Rupee traded in the INR 82–84 range against the US Dollar through most of 2023–24. A weaker Rupee increases the effective cost of international travel. Destinations priced in weaker currencies — Thai Baht, Malaysian Ringgit, Indonesian Rupiah — remain relatively affordable even when the Rupee softens. This partly explains the sustained dominance of Southeast Asia in Indian outbound volumes.
Related: Andaman Family packages
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