Invites increased travel from ASEAN countries to visit India's coastlines encouraged by Indian authorities.
Thailand welcomed around 2.12 million Indian tourists in 2024, making India the third-largest group of arrivals after Chinese and Malaysian travellers. This strong tourism relationship is set to grow further, with expectations for increased flows from India in 2025, as Ms Tripathi, a tourism industry representative, announced that 2025 has been designated as the "India-Asean Tourism Year."
To bolster these ties, the Indian Embassy in Bangkok organised the "India-ASEAN Tourism Roadshow" in Bangkok on Thursday. The event, which also saw the participation of the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation, aimed to foster enhanced connectivity, strategic marketing, and business engagement.
The Indian government has prioritised ASEAN countries for cruise tourism under the "India-ASEAN Tourism Years" initiative. While the specific ASEAN countries chosen as priority cruise tourism destinations have not been detailed, it is clear that cruise tourism has been identified as a priority for India and ASEAN.
In line with this focus on sustainable tourism, tailored programs for ASEAN tour operators, cultural exchanges, and hospitality training are being developed. This aligns with ASEAN's Action Roadmap and India's Goa Roadmap, which emphasise the importance of sustainable tourism practices.
The Asean-India Tourism Fund will support joint initiatives under the 2023-2027 work plan. India pledged US$5 million (162 million baht) to the Asean-India Tourism Fund, demonstrating a commitment to long-term cooperation between the two regions.
As India intensifies efforts to strengthen relations with ASEAN through tourism, it is expected that tourism flows between the two regions will continue to grow. Last year, more than 4.14 million Indians travelled to ASEAN countries, while ASEAN nations collectively contributed 662,605 visitor arrivals to India.
In addition to the "India-ASEAN Tourism Roadshow," India also participated in the Pacific Asia Travel Association Travel Mart 2025, held at Queen Sirikit National Convention Center from Tuesday to Thursday. This event provided an opportunity for India to showcase its tourism offerings and further strengthen its ties with ASEAN.
India and ASEAN are also launching a dialogue to expand maritime connectivity across the Indo-Pacific, indicating a broader commitment to deepening cooperation between the two regions. With these initiatives in place, the future of India-ASEAN tourism looks promising.
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