India outbound travel grows 5.9% as Thailand, Australia, Singapore and US court Indian tourists
India logged 32.71M overseas departures in 2025 (+5.9% YoY) despite West Asia turmoil. Operators Thomas Cook and SOTC cite rising disposable incomes fuelling experiential tourism, with the market projected to reach $55.4B by 2034 from $18.8B in 2024 at an 11.4% CAGR.
What happened
Thomas Cook (India) · India's outbound travel keeps growing despite West Asia turmoil, with tourism boards from Thailand, Australia, Singapore and US courting
Key facts
- 32.71M overseas departures 2025
- +5.9% YoY
- $18.8B market 2024
- $55.4B by 2034
- 11.4% CAGR
- 2.49M Indian visitors to Thailand
Why this matters
Rising disposable incomes and destination-country courtship of Indian tourists make outbound-focused travel operators and experiential-tourism platforms attractive acquisition or partnership targets ahead of the 2034 growth curve.
What to watch
- Rupee-USD exchange rate movement and its effect on long-haul affordability
- Jet fuel prices and international airfare trends
- Visa policy changes from Australia, US, Schengen, and ASEAN nations
- Quarterly bookings data from Thomas Cook, SOTC, MakeMyTrip
- West Asia geopolitical escalation affecting routes and sentiment
- Domestic disposable income and consumer confidence indices
- Retail brands partner with OTAs and tour operators for co-branded travel-linked promotions and forex/card bundles
- Duty-free and airport retail expand premium and experiential SKUs targeting affluent Indian departures
- Travel gear, luggage, and apparel categories launch destination-specific collections (Thailand, Australia, US)
- Credit card and fintech players push travel rewards and multi-currency products to capture spend
- Destination tourism boards deepen India-specific marketing and simplified visa channels