Indian tourists top targets of tourist traps in Europe

With tens of millions of visitors flocking popular tourist destinations across Europe each year, many unsuspecting travellers, especially those unfamiliar with local customs and languages, fall victim to fraudulent schemes. Indians are amongst the easiest preys for these scams and petty crimes, from pickpocketing to fake petitions, these scams are becoming increasingly common, with some causing significant financial losses.

- PALAK CHAWLA

"A friend of mine was walking through a street in Paris when he encountered a man who told him that he had dropped a gold ring on the road. My friend was confused and when he asked where, the stranger pointed at a metal ring lying on the street. Even though my friend insisted it was not his, the man responded by saying that finders are keepers and picked up the ring, slipped on my friend’s finger and added that it was a perfect fit and immediately asked my friend to pay for the ring. My friend threw away the ring and ran in the opposite direction,"

Gautam, Chief Enchanter, Enchanting Escapes, a travel agency based in Delhi, tells India Outbound.

This incident is just one example of how unsuspecting travellers are being scammed at popular destinations. Tourism has long been a thriving industry, with tens of millions flocking to popular European cities like Paris, Rome and Barcelona each year.

According to UN Tourism, Europe, the world’s largest destination region, saw 747 million international arrivals in 2024. Additionally, Eurostat reported that the estimated number of nights spent at tourist accommodation establishments in the EU reached 2.99 billion, exceeding the previous year by 53.4 million nights, or 2 pc.

However, as the number of visitors rises, so does the prevalence of scams targeting unsuspecting tourists. For Indian travellers, who often find themselves unfamiliar with local customs and language, the risk of falling victim to traps is particularly high.