Southeast Asia emerges as top choice for Indian tourists, finds Oyo report

Southeast Asian countries have emerged as the favourite destinations for Indian travellers planning short vacations abroad, while the United States, Europe, and Australia were among the preferences for long stays, according to a survey released on Monday.

According to OYO Global Summer Vacations Travelopedia 2024: Southeast Asia has emerged as the top choice of Indian tourists for shorter stays of 5-7 days, making the most of long weekends and holidays after visa relaxation.

The final sample size comprised around 4,000 respondents, providing a data set to analyse emerging trends and preferences in the overseas travel behaviour of Indian tourists.

Bali emerged as the top destination with 38 per cent respondents voting in its favour, closely followed by Pattaya, Bangkok, and Dubai.

Southeast Asian destinations such as Indonesia and Malaysia emerged as preferred countries following relaxed visa norms, OYO said.

Europe and the United States of America emerged as the top choice for long-haul destinations where Indian tourists tend to stay for 10-15 days (about 2 weeks) or even more.

OYO Founder and CEO Ritesh Agarwal said, "With improved air connectivity, visa facilitation, and a wide range of travel options, it has become more convenient than ever for Indian travellers to explore the beauty of Southeast Asia. Our ongoing program to increase the number of premium properties in the region will help Indian tourists with a range of stay options at all the popular holiday destinations."

The Travelopedia 2024 is the annual report capturing travel preferences and trends among Indian tourists planning to visit abroad for summer vacations. The report is a collection of insights and statistics and analyses data from a survey conducted by the company in India from April 15-May 30, 2024.

Several Southeast Asian countries such as Malaysia and Indonesia have recently announced relaxed visa norms for Indian tourists, offering easier access to some of the most popular destinations in the region.

Dubai has rolled out a five-year multiple-entry visa to enhance the ease of travel between India and the Gulf region.

The rise of remote work has led to an increase in digital nomadism among Indian travelers. Indonesia and Malaysia, with their affordable cost of living, reliable internet connectivity, and picturesque locales, are attracting digital nomads looking to combine work and travel during the summer months, the survey added.