“China allows 70 countries to a vacan

Peter Elbers, CEO of Indigo, has highlighted the overwhelming tourist flow in India, and his comparison with China and Thailand. Speaking to a national tourism, Elbers said that 70 countries can enter China without a visa, and can enter 90 Thailand – but only three countries enjoy the same privilege with India.

“People from Bhutan, Nepal and the Maldives can travel to India without a visa. These are statistics in themselves.” Despite extensive shows in India – 44 UNESCO Heritage sites, mountains, seas, developing areas, and rich cultural festivals – continue to attract much fewer foreign tourists.

India witnessed 9.95 million foreign tourist expatriates in 2024, and it is still less than its peak for 2019 and fragmented in Thailand 35.5 million last year. Elbers blamed bureaucratic bottlenecks and a lack of infrastructure for the poor. He said: “It is not money – the fees are $ 10. But the process is speaking. “Even after obtaining a visa, hotels request ten passports.”

The experience of traveling inside the country is not much better. “I live here, I know how to wander. But I see the missing tourists in the street angles. Ease of travel is still a problem,” he added.

The former CEO of Niti Ayog Aitabh Kant chanted fears at BT India @100 Summit, warning that India risks wasting the opportunity created by the expanding aviation network. He said: “Tourism can be the largest source of export profits in India, free from customs tariffs. However, we calculate only 1.5 % of global tourist arrivals,” and it is reversed on the lack of sustainable brands effort.

“There has been no real global campaign in the past decade.”

ELPERS agreed. “The amazing India was an enormous campaign. But it only works if the basics – visas and ease of travel – fixed first.”