Amit Bhasin
Indian tourist footfalls & growth
In 2025, India became the fifth-largest source market for Australia, recording a robust growth in visitor arrivals to reach 450,000. Notably, there is also an increase in spending by Indian travellers. For the year ended March 2025, the total trip spend by Indians was Australian Dollar (AUD) 2.7 billion and the per capita spend of Indians was almost AUD 6,250. This not only reflects the rise in footfall but also indicates a clear shift towards premium travel preferences.
Key promotional strategies
In 2024, we rolled out an integrated promotional campaign designed to tap into the passion points of the new aged Indian Traveller. We launched the ‘Howzat for a Holiday?’ campaign, featuring Pat Cummins and Ruby the Roo, across television, digital platforms, and outdoor, during the Border-Gavaskar Test series reaching over 100 Mn viewers in India. This was further complemented by a four-part Instagram series with cricketing favourite David Warner, who shared his personal selection of iconic Australian destinations. We also hosted 15 Bollywood celebrities during the Border-Gavaskar Test series, amplifying the destination through their social media channels.
Adapting to Indian demands for offbeat and sustainable travel
There has been a shift in the preferences of Indian travellers, who are increasingly seeking deeper, more meaningful travel experiences as opposed to traditional sightseeing.
This evolving mindset is reflected in Australia’s rising popularity among Indian visitors, who are now exploring beyond the iconic hotspots. In response, Australia has significantly adapted its tourism offerings—its ‘Signature Experiences’ collective now features over 700 special interest curated experiences activities across cultural, golf, indigenous, luxury lodges, walks, wildlife and winery experiences.
New visa measures, air connections and trade collaborations
As one of the few long-haul destinations offering a fully digital visa process, Australia has streamlined its visitor visa procedures, making travel significantly more convenient. Moreover, the online lodgement process does not require personal appointments, biometric submissions, or physical documentation. Air connectivity has also seen notable improvements, with Tourism Australia partnering with multiple airlines to strengthen connections and ensure seamless travel experiences for Indian visitors.
Follow BOTT on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter & Instagram
Subscribe BOTT Channels on WhatsApp & Telegram to receive real time updates
