India emerged as the fifth-largest tourist market for Australia in the 2024 calendar year, marking a 12% increase in visitor footfall compared to the previous year, according to a senior Tourism Australia official. “India remains one of our fastest-growing markets, with nearly 4,43,000 Indian travelers visiting Australia in 2024—registering a 12% rise from the 3,96,000 arrivals recorded in 2023,” said Nishant Kashikar, Tourism Australia’s Country Manager for India and the Gulf, in a statement to PTI.
Previously ranked seventh, India has now climbed to the fifth position as an inbound tourism market for Australia. “New Zealand continues to be the largest source market for Tourism Australia, followed by China, the US, and the UK. India has surpassed Japan and Singapore, which held higher rankings before the COVID-19 pandemic in 2019,” Kashikar added.
Indians ranked fifth in tourism spending in Australia in 2024, following China, the US, the UK, and New Zealand, according to Nishant Kashikar, Country Manager for India and the Gulf at Tourism Australia. “Indian travelers not only visited Australia in large numbers but also made a significant economic contribution. In 2024, total spending by Indian tourists reached AUD 2.6 billion, with a per capita spend of nearly AUD 6,200,” Kashikar stated.
The surge in tourism was largely driven by improved direct air connectivity and streamlined visa processing for corporate travelers, he noted. “Currently, there are 19 direct flights per week between India and Australia. Air India operates daily direct flights from Delhi to Sydney and Melbourne, while Qantas runs five weekly flights from Bengaluru to Sydney. Additionally, Malaysia Airlines has expanded its connectivity from six Indian cities to nearly ten,” Kashikar added.
When asked about the possibility of expanding direct air connectivity between Indian cities and Australia, Nishant Kashikar, Country Manager for India and the Gulf at Tourism Australia, revealed that the organization has identified 13 potential new direct flight routes based on research conducted by the International Air Transport Association (IATA). “We commissioned IATA to study potential direct routes between India and Australia, and their findings highlighted 13 new routes that could be introduced,” Kashikar stated.
The proposed routes include Mumbai-Sydney, Delhi-Brisbane, Delhi-Adelaide, Amritsar-Brisbane, Amritsar-Sydney, Amritsar-Melbourne, Bengaluru-Melbourne, Kochi-Melbourne, Hyderabad-Sydney, Hyderabad-Melbourne, Ahmedabad-Sydney, Ahmedabad-Melbourne, and Chennai-Sydney and Melbourne. These routes could be launched progressively through 2030, he added.
Speaking on visa processes, Kashikar emphasized that the system is entirely digitized, conducted online, and does not require biometrics or interviews, making it more convenient for Indian travelers. Discussing visa facilitation, Nishant Kashikar, Country Manager for India and the Gulf at Tourism Australia, highlighted that electronic visa applications typically take around two weeks to process.
“For business and MICE travelers, a multiple-entry visa of up to five years is granted, while tourists receive a three-year multiple-entry visa,” he stated. Looking ahead to 2025, Tourism Australia is focusing on attracting high-yield Indian travelers, particularly those aged 24 to 44, who tend to stay longer and contribute more to the Australian economy.
“This year, our priority is MICE tourism, major sporting events, and honeymoon travel. We aim to capitalize on these segments to drive strong growth in Indian tourist arrivals,” Kashikar said, expressing optimism for yet another record-breaking year for Tourism Australia in 2025.
