Skift Take
India's inbound tourism falls significantly short of its potential, but the G20 and Cricket World Cup may help nudge it closer to the 10-million mark.
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While India has been making its way up as a top source country for outbound travel, the country's inbound tourism has still not been able to touch the almost 11-million foreign arrivals of 2019. According to the Ministry of Tourism, India received 6.2 million foreign tourists in 2022.
However, inbound travel to India is set to experience a 23% increase during the festive season (from September to November), according to data shared with Skift by travel technology firm RateGain.
Top Source Countries: Insights from RateGain data revealed that Australia is set to be the top source country, closely followed by U.S., Singapore, Canada and UK.
What's Fueling the Surge?
The hosting of the G20 in Delhi recently. Delhi and the National Capital Region experienced a 40% surge in travel demand when it hosted the G20 Summit earlier this month. The Cricket World Cup set to take place in the country from October 5-November 19.The upcoming Cricket World Cup has also turned the spotlight on hotel demand and accommodation searches in the host cities.
Soaring Hotel Rates: RateGain noted that hotel demand has been soaring across cities hosting the Cricket World Cup. Ahmedabad, the host city of the much-anticipated India-Pakistan match, witnessed a staggering 308% increase in hotel prices. Dharamshala and Pune follow closely with price surges of 300% and 360% respectively. Hyderabad with a growth rate of 230% and Chennai at 220% continue the trend.
Source: RategainRateGain noted that travelers are also expected to extend their stay to explore host cities. Industry players such as Oyo are expected to add 500 new hotels before the to