With Thailand seeing 44 pc increase in searches from India and Malaysia increasing even more at 49 pc rise, Agoda says that since the relaxation of visa norms, Indian visitors are now choosing Southeast Asia even more.

Search data on online travel platform Agoda reveals that the recent 30-day and 90-day tourist visa waiver programme for Indian travellers introduced by Malaysia and Thailand respectively, has driven growth in demand for travel from India to the two Southeast Asian markets.

According to a press statement by Agoda, Indian travellers are among the most prominently profiting from a recent wave of visa relaxations in the APAC region. Different markets across Asia recently announced changes to their policies for Indian and Chinese travellers in particular or are said to be considering similar measures. Indian travellers now enjoy visa-free access to 62 countries, according to the Henley Passport Index.

The statement adds that holiday-favourite Thailand has only grown in popularity since the recent visa relaxation came into effect with a 44 pc increase in searches from India. Searches from India to Malaysia increased even more with a 49 pc rise in January compared to October last year, according to Agoda’s insights.

It says that Thailand’s capital Bangkok is now the most popular outbound city destination for Indians, overtaking Dubai since the visa relaxations came into effect. Thailand’s beach destination Pattaya rose from fifth to third place. The top five city destinations are now Bangkok, Dubai, Pattaya, Singapore and Bali respectively.

“The relaxation of visa norms seems to be an accelerator for India’s outbound travel landscape. More and more destinations are recognising India’s potential as a key source market. With Malaysia and Thailand leading the way in terms of visa waivers, it is clear that Southeast Asia’s allure is growing stronger. The fact that many of these destinations can now be visited without having to worry about the paperwork will likely encourage even more Indian travellers to go abroad and explore,” says Krishna Rathi, Country Director India, Sri Lanka and Maldives at Agoda.