With the rising economy of its middle class families, foreign tours are a growing trend in India nowadays. Like all other foreign countries this proves to be advantageous to the Gulf countries as well. As per the reports by WAM, the number of Indian visitors travelling to the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) over the coming five years will have the demand of booking an extra 10.8 million hotel room nights.Data given away well ahead of the Arabian Travel Market atm 2019 which is to be held at Dubai World Trade Centre from 28th April to 1st May 2019.
The latest research, published by Colliers International, predicts some nine million Indians i.e. 37% of India’s total outbound market will travel to the GCC by 2022 with basis of business build up, higher studies and holiday makings etc.
As per study, Indian tourists are among the world’s highest spenders per visit abroad, which raise the expectation of a hike in visitor-spending from US$23 billion in 2018 to US$45 billion by 2022. Further the study reveals that Indian outbound tourists will account for 22.5 million worldwide tourists in 2018, with reports from the UNWTO estimating this figure will increase by 122% to reach over 50 million by 2022.
Regarding Indian tourism, Danielle Curtis, Exhibition Director Middle East, Arabian Travel Market, confidently said that despite recent weak rupee exchange rates, which have seen the rupee lose around 14 % of its value against the US dollar over the last 12 months, the Indian outbound market has continued to grow at an average annual growth rate of 10%-12% over the last seven years which is a good sign for the tourism field.
Further she added that the GCC has benefited from this trend with Indian travellers’ willingness and ability to spend on outbound travels which is encouraged by the country’s pace-setting seven percent GDP growth and a new generation of leisure attractions in the GCC, as well as increased business opportunities and relaxed visa regulations for Indian nationals.
