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The recent visa waiver program introduced by Malaysia and Thailand for Indian travelers seems to be to paying off for the destinations, as Agoda search data reveals that the 30-day and 90-day tourist visa, respectively, has further driven demand for travel to the two Southeast Asian markets.
Agoda said holiday-favorite Thailand has only grown in popularity since the recent visa relaxation came into effect with a 44% increase in searches from India. The searches from India to Malaysia increased even more, with a 49% rise in January compared to October last year, according to Agoda's insights.
Agoda recently announced 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.
Indian travelers are among the most prominent 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 travelers in particular or are said to be considering similar measures. Indian travelers now enjoy visa-free access to 62 countries according to the Henley Passport Index.
Krishna Rathi, country director India, Sri Lanka, and Maldives at Agoda said the relaxation of visa norms seems to be an accelerator for India’s outbound travel landscape. "More and more destinations are recognizing India’s potential as a key source market. With Malaysia and Thailand leading the way in terms of visa waivers, it's 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 travelers to go abroad and explore," he added.
