Can the Indian travel ecosystem support them?

Intrepid Travel’s India arm aims to welcome 30,000 tourists a year to India by 2030, four times more than last year’s 7,500.

It may be doable, but the challenges are many.

What are the pain points for international travellers? “There are a lot,” says Rama Mahendru, Intrepid’s general manager for India.

One is the safety of women travellers. “Through solo female expeditions led by women travel agents, we are trying to show tourists a different side of India while also involving women-led businesses,” Mahendru said.

If India is serious about attracting international tourists, it needs to give urgent attention to hygiene and sanitation, especially in facilities like public toilets, she said.

International travellers are also concerned about petty theft and exorbitant charges by autorickshaw drivers and local merchants.

Mahendru said efforts were needed to educate and encourage locals to be friendly towards tourists so that they would return home with a positive impression of India.

Highlighting the need for skilled workers, Mahendru said, “The hospitality industry needs more skilled workers who can conduct themselves professionally. We should invest in training programmes for workers, from monument guides to hospitality staff.”

In a recent report, Skift said low wages and long hours are driving workers out of the industry.

On the policy front, there is a need to streamline and simplify visa procedures. India needs to offer multiple-entry visas instead of the single/double entry visas currently offered, she said.

India’s central and state governments have invested in infrastructure improvements in recent years. Asked whether these programs have had any impact on the ground, Mahendru said the improvements have been limited to big cities and urban areas, and that the focus now needs to shift to smaller regions.

She noted that alongside tourist support programs, upgrading public facilities and amenities also needed to be a focus.

A changing supply market

Intrepid aims to attract more than 12,000 tourists to India this year to meet its 2030 target, and has its sights set on the North American market.

“Last year, India received 9.23 million international tourists, of which 22% were from the US market. India is one of the largest source markets, so we should leverage this,” Mahendru told Skift.

Pre-pandemic, around 60% of customers visiting India through Intrepid were from Australia, followed by customers from the UK and the US. In 2023, around 50% of Intrepid customers visiting India were from North America.

“Our 2030 strategy has a roadmap for tapping into the North American market, which has the financial means and wants to travel more,” she said.

Mahendru points out that while most of his fellow travelers were millennials and Gen Z, since Intrepid launched its premium-style travel, he’s also seeing more travelers in their 60s. However, the company offers tours to suit all budgets, and travel styles range from basic and original to comfortable and premium.

“Earlier, tourists would simply tour the Golden Triangle (Agra, Jaipur and Delhi) and that was it. But now, tourists are looking for more unique and authentic experiences and they want personalised trips,” she said.

Photo credit: The company aims to attract over 12,000 tourists to India this year.