Visa-free entry makes Thailand the most preferred destination for Indian tourists: Agoda

The preferred destinations of travellers venturing within and abroad India remained largely unchanged in the past year, except one tweak - Thailand's Bangkok stole the top spot from Dubai, according to online travel platform Agoda, which analysed the trends based on hotel bookings on the application.

Since the government of Thailand allowed visa-free entry for Indians travelling to the country last month, it saw a 26% surge in searches on the platform, and has since become a darling for Indian travellers looking for an escape.

Other countries that have recently waived visa requirements for Indians include Malaysia and Sri Lanka, both of which are also seeing renewed interest from travellers. Vietnam is also mulling its visa restrictions to offer visa-free entry for Indians as it has become more and more popular within Indian travellers. Airlines have also been answering to this increased demand by increasing the routes and number of flights travelling to these countries.

“When it comes to international travel choices, Indians consistently favour short haul destinations across the region. Chart topper Bangkok and fifth most popular destination Pattaya are poised to further strengthen their appeal, with the recent announcement of visa-free travel for Indians to Thailand,” the report said.

Bangkok was followed by Dubai in the second place, Bali in the third and Singapore in the fourth place, it added.

"2023 has been an incredible year for travel in India. Agoda search numbers reveal growth on all levels: domestic, inbound, and outbound. I am excited to see how this trend will shape the travel industry in 2024,” said Krishna Rathi, Agoda’s country director for India, Sri Lanka, and Maldives.

As for destinations within the country, Delhi-NCR continued to hold the first position, as was the case for Goa in second place, Mumbai in third, Bengaluru in fourth and Chennai in the fifth place, indicating that the travel trends for Indians remained largely unchanged in the past year, even as travel volume increased significantly this year.

“The rankings with the most booked destinations on Agoda underscore a distinct inclination among Indians for tried-and-tested destinations, showcasing a preference for all-time favourites that have lots to offer to any type of traveller and no matter how frequently they are visited,” the report said.