More countries wooing middle-class Indian tourists who eye new experiences

Rising disposable incomes, stronger travel desire and wider aviation links fuel growth

- Nirmala Ganapathy

NEW DELHI - Across Delhi, large billboards have come up wooing Indian travellers for a Disney cruise in Singapore, and some people are sitting up and taking notice.

One family saw that bookings had begun for the Disney Adventure, the first Asia-based cruise ship of the Disney Cruise Line. To their disappointment, however, it is due to set sail in December 2025.

"We thought it was starting this year and even made inquiries. But it's only starting next year," said Ms Karishma Mohan, 39, a mother of two children under the age of seven. The family is now considering a trip to Japan in March 2025.

However, they are still keen on the Disney cruise, said Ms Mohan, a home baker whose husband works in the aviation sector. "The children have seen the advertisements, including on YouTube, so we will explore next year," she said.

The Mohans are among the growing ranks of middle-class Indian families who go on at least one overseas trip a year.

"As consumers in India express their desire to increase spending on travel, the industry is set for healthy growth in coming years," said Mr Abhay Prakash Singh, research analyst at Euromonitor International, a global business intelligence, market analysis and consumer insights firm.

While Chinese tourists may still be the leader in global tourism spending, India is seen as the fastest-growing market for outbound tourism, expected to grow at 11 per cent annually for the next decade.

Indian travellers went from 14th position globally on tourism spending in 2019 to eighth place by 2023, when 28.2 million Indians took overseas holidays and spent US$34.2 billion (S$46.3 billion), according to the World Travel and Tourism Council.

In comparison, 87 million Chinese travelled overseas in 2023, spending US$196.5 billion, according to UN tourism data.