From free air tickets to films, tourism boards woo the aspirational Indian traveller
Paul Murphy, consul general of Australia, and Tourism Australia executives unveil new marketing campaign in Mumbai on Wednesday, August 20, 2025.
Overseas tourism boards are pulling all the stops to lure international visitors and Indians are on high on the radar.
While Tourism Australia unveiled its ‘Come and say G’day’ marketing campaign in Mumbai on Wednesday, Thailand announced a plan to offer free domestic flight tickets to 2,00,000 tourists. The free tickets will be available to travellers around the world including India.
“Our new campaign extends a bespoke invitation to Indian travellers to visit Australia and experience a holiday that lasts a lifetime,” said Nishant Kashikar, Country Manager (India and Gulf), Tourism Australia.
The AU $130 million campaign is in its second phase and features Sara Tendulkar. The multi-channel campaign is being rolled out in five countries including India and targets high spending tourists who are looking for immersive and experiential holidays.
Over 4,50,000 Indians visited Australia in twelve months ending June, a growth of 8 per cent year on year. Kashikar expects Indian arrivals to cross half a million next year.
Thailand received 18.3 million foreign tourists between January to July. This included around 1.3 million Indians.
Thailand is also investing in new campaigns to promote less familiar destinations. This includes beach and wildlife attractions in the province of Krabi that served as a locale for the shoot of movie- Jurassic World Rebirth.
On Wednesday Thailand’s Tourism and Sports Ministry announced the free domestic flights scheme to encourage travellers to explore destinations beyond the main cities. The Tourism Authority of Thailand will work with Thai airlines for this campaign that is expected to run between September to November.
The Ministry will submit a proposal for Budget allocation to the cabinet next week, local news reports said.
“India has emerged as the world’s new tourism powerhouse and tourism boards are eyeing this huge market potential,” said Rajeev Kale, President & Country Head (holidays), Thomas Cook India.
Kale said the company has partnered with various tourism bodies for product development and joint marketing activities.
In July, Singapore Tourism Board and IndiGo announced one year strategic partnership to engage with Indian travellers. The initiative combines attractive travel deals, engaging co-branded content, strategic influencer partnerships, and innovative creative formats to enhance the pre-travel experience. The partnership also extends beyond B2C campaigns to include comprehensive trade outreach.
Love for travel
Reserve Bank of India data shows that international travel is largest segment for outward remittances accounting for 60 per cent of the total in FY25. Over $16.9 billion was remitted for travel purposes last fiscal a marginal dip over FY24.
Rising disposable incomes, increasing air connectivity and relaxed visa norms are boosting outbound travel. Destinations such as Jordan and Central Asian countries are gaining traction with launch of new flights and Indians are also spending on luxury and sustainable experiences in Northern Europe.
“Indian travellers are looking beyond the ordinary,” said Sara Sodhi Juneja, who organised a Finland tourism workshop in Mumbai earlier this week.
According to Cleartrip, international travel from India has grown 25 per cent year-on-year in FY25 with South East Asia remaining top draw highlighting region’s value driven appeal. “We expect increased momentum around festive period as Indians continue to prioritise purposeful high-value travel experiences,” it said.
Published on August 21, 2025
