India has extended a free e-tourist visa to the Philippines’ nationals. This decision comes after the Philippines declared a 14-day visa-free entry to Indians. Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, made the announcement following the bilateral talks with Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr., President of the Republic of the Philippines, on his official visit to India.

India has emerged as the world’s fifth-largest aviation market, handling 241 million passengers in 2024, according to IATA’s World Air Transport Statistics. The Mumbai–Delhi route ranked 7th among the world’s busiest airport pairs. Asia Pacific dominated the ranking, with only Jeddah–Riyadh, located outside the region, in the top 10.

Nepal saw a surge in tourism with over 70,000 tourist arrivals by air in the first seven months of this year. Sharing the details, Nepal Tourism Board said among the international tourists, Indians topped with 27,152 (38.7 per cent) visitors in July.

Sanjeev Mehra, President, Skål International India, revealed that in order to boost outbound travel and trade opportunities for its members, they are coming up with international B2B engagement programs in partnership with tourism boards of Abu Dhabi, Qatar, and Oman. This is the power of being part of a trusted global network, he said.  

To enhance its tourism sector, the Rajasthan government is focusing on untapped niches such as adventure, rural and tribal tourism. Tourism currently contributes 7.45% to the state’s gross value added (GVA) and 11.35% to employment. By 2030, the government aims to increase these figures to 8.5% and 13%, respectively, with new initiatives targeting lesser-explored tourism segments.

Releasing data for June, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) revealed global passenger demand, highlighting that the total demand, measured in revenue passenger kilometers (RPK), was up 2.6% compared to June 2024. Total capacity, measured in available seat kilometers (ASK), was also up 3.4% year-on-year. The June load factor was 84.5% (-0.6 ppt compared to June 2024), it added.

Nishant Kashikar, Country Manager-India, Tourism Australia, says that the latest edition of Australia Marketplace in Jaipur was attended by more than 200 delegates. “We have all the eight state and territory tourism organisations from Australia for the first time in this marketplace and over 100 buyers from India,” he adds.

Highlighting the potential of Tamil Nadu, T Christuraj, Director, Tourism Department & MD, Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation, noted that the state has some of the best infrastructure for conferences and exhibitions. To unlock the full potential of MICE tourism, it must extend beyond Chennai to cities like Kanchipuram, Coimbatore, Madurai, Tiruchirappalli and Salem while bridging infrastructure gaps.

Rajiv Mehra, General Secretary, FAITH, emphasised that the upcoming FAITH Conclave will spotlight the need for unified policies, improved infrastructure and global marketing to boost India’s inbound tourism. Addressing issues like visa bottlenecks, taxation, and destination readiness, the event, which is slated to to held on 12 – 13 August in Delhi, will focus on collaboration, sustainability, digital transformation, and skilling to position tourism as a national economic driver.

TAAI’s 68th Convention & Exhibition is all set to take place from 17 to 19 September in Abu Dhabi, UAE, in collaboration with the Department of Culture & Tourism – Abu Dhabi. Celebrating its 74 years, the event will revolve around the theme, “Business with Goodness,” focusing on purposeful networking, thought leadership sessions, and meaningful industry engagement.