Riyadh, Saudi Arabia – Wego, the leading travel app and largest online travel marketplace in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), has reported a significant increase in travel interest to India in the first half of 2024. Data from January to June 2024 shows a 40.71% year-on-year rise in searches for international flights to India. This surge not only surpasses last year’s figures but also exceeds pre-pandemic numbers from the same period in 2019.
The data reveals a substantial travel interest to India from various regions, particularly the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Qatar, and Oman emerged as the top five sources of travelers, underlining the robust cultural and economic ties between India and these Gulf nations. Following the GCC countries, Bahrain also showed notable travel interest, indicating its active travel connections with India. Additionally, the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Thailand were among the top ten countries of origin for travelers to India.
Bernard Corraya, General Manager of Wego’s India office, commented, “The findings suggest a dynamic travel landscape where India remains a key destination for both leisure and business travelers from across the globe, driven by various factors such as tourism, business ventures, and familial connections.”
Wego observed a significant surge in flight searches to India during April and June 2024, coinciding with the celebrations of Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha. These festive periods see many travelers in the Middle East taking advantage of long holidays to visit family, explore new destinations, or embark on religious pilgrimages. The increase in international travelers searching for India presents a golden opportunity for Indian travel companies, including hotels, tour operators, and local experience providers, to reach a larger audience eager to experience India’s unique culture.
The data further revealed that searches from Saudi Arabia accounted for a substantial 42% of all international searches to India, highlighting the strong travel demand between the two nations. Routes from Riyadh to New Delhi and Riyadh to Lucknow were particularly popular, indicating significant interest from Saudi travelers in both major metropolitan areas and culturally significant cities in India.
Wego also observed a rise in flight searches to popular Indian destinations such as Kozhikode, New Delhi, Cochin, Lucknow, and Mumbai during April and June 2024. This period aligns with the summer school breaks in the GCC countries, making it a prime time for families to travel together.