Why foreigners prefer Thailand, Malaysia or Vietnam over India

India’s tourism sector stands at a crossroads in 2024, presenting both a formidable challenge and a unique opportunity. While foreign tourist arrivals have risen by 3.7% year-on-year, the figures remain modest when compared to the explosive growth seen in other countries, particularly in Southeast Asia. With 6.19 million foreign tourists visiting India in the first eight months of 2024, the country’s tourism growth appears promising — but when viewed in the context of ASEAN nations like Thailand, Malaysia, and Vietnam, the gap is glaring.

Thailand, for example, attracted a staggering 29 million tourists between January and October 2024, while Malaysia welcomed over 16 million as of August 2024. Indonesia, another prominent tourist hotspot in the ASEAN region, reported 10 million foreign tourists arrivals in the January-September 2024 period, as per industry data.

Several factors explain why these countries have outpaced India in attracting foreign visitors. Southeast Asia has invested heavily in tourism infrastructure, streamlined visa policies, and launched aggressive marketing campaigns that promote their destinations as accessible and affordable.

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Countries like Thailand, Vietnam and even Saudi Arabia have leveraged social media, partnerships with global influencers, and international campaigns to promote their destinations. Digital storytelling, virtual tours, and targeted campaigns that highlight not just the iconic monuments, but also the unique cultural experiences plays a key role in attracting potential tourists.

India is home to some of the world’s most iconic attractions— historical monuments like Taj Mahal, the desserts in Rajasthan, Kerala’s backwaters, the Himalayan mountains and beaches in Goa. But tour operators say the overall travel experience is often marred by logistical difficulties, overcrowded tourist spots and sometimes unfriendly locals.

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Looking at countries that contributed to India’s tourism growth, Bangladesh tops the list, although political instability impacted the numbers with arrivals falling from 23.7% to 20.77% between January and August 2024 but it still remained the top source of tourist arrivals in India. FTAs from other countries in the league—US, UK, Canda and Australia—saw an uptick year-on-year in the period between January and August this year, as per data, with the US accounting for 17.41% and the UK 10.08% in the FTAs from the five top source market. At the same time, the share of Canada and Australia was recorded at 4.33% and 4.14%, respectively, during the period of January-August 2024.

Moreover, foreign exchange earnings increased by 15.64% year-on-year to ₹1.71 lakh marking a significant jump from ₹1.38 lakh crore during the same period in 2019. This highlights India’s potential to generate revenue from tourism.

The tourism numbers from the first eight months of 2024 are a clear indication that, while India is making progress, it is far from realising its full potential as compared to its peers. As the global tourism market continues to expand, India must step up its game with the right investment in infrastructure, policy reforms, and marketing to transform itself into a global tourism powerhouse.

Foreign Tourist arrivals