DOT wants share of $55-B Indian tourist market
The Philippines is ready to capture India’s rising outbound market, the Department of Tourism (DOT) said on Friday as the country fully implements its new e-Visa system in India.
In an interview on the sidelines of the two-day Philippine Dive Experience in Anilao, Batangas, Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco welcomed the Department of Foreign Affairs’ (DFA) issuance of e-Visas to Indian nationals, saying local destinations are ready to welcome more of them.
“We welcome the announcement of the Department of Foreign Affairs on the full automation of the electronic visa system for India,” she said.
“This is something that the administration has been working on for some time, and we greatly appreciate all the efforts to launch this, especially that we’re looking at India as a very robust outbound market to come into the Philippines.”
India’s outbound travel is expected to grow into a $55.39-billion market by 2034 while the number of Indians traveling overseas is projected to increase to 50 million in 2030, according to India-based consulting firm Nangia NXT.
In its latest report, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development said India is also set to become the “future growth engine for global tourism,” with the rapid expansion of the middle classes and scaling up of air connectivity across the country.
“The Philippines has been ready for quite some time, and we are very eager to finally open up the doors to the Indian market,” Frasco said.
The Philippines has been in talks with the Indian government since 2023 to develop this market and cater to its traveling public, including through this e-Visa initiative and the possibility of more flights to the Philippines.
