Last year, without direct flights, Bali welcomed over 400,000 Indian tourists. This staggering figure underscores the immense potential for growth once direct flight routes are established, stated Ina H. Krisnamurthi, Ambassador, Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia in India.
“Thanks to initiatives like IndiGo’s direct connection to Jakarta and Vistara‘s efforts in establishing direct links from Delhi, we are now in a better position to encourage travel to Bali. The availability of these direct flights presents an opportunity to significantly enhance tourist inflow between our nations, as evidenced by last year’s influx of over 400,000 Indian visitors to Bali, a figure we anticipate will grow,” the ambassador said.
In terms of overall tourist numbers, Indonesia welcomed a staggering 11.67 million visitors in 2023, almost double the number in 2022. Bali alone received 5.23 million visitors, accounting for nearly half of Indonesia’s total tourism arrivals.
The ambassador further urged the Indian stakeholders to seize the opportunity presented by improved connectivity. She highlighted that despite the Indian populace expressing keen interest in Bali, their actual visitation numbers remain relatively low, primarily due to the absence of direct flights.
“While traffic from India may exhibit seasonal trends or focus on wedding-related travel, we must strategise on maintaining consistent demand and exploring new avenues for engagement,” she said.
Vistara Bombay-Bali to be a reality soon
Payal Mehta, Regional Manager Sales -North India at Vistara – TATA SIA Airlines Ltd. informed that the airline is also exploring options for flights from Bombay. “Vistara currently operates daily direct flights from Delhi, which is performing satisfactorily. Nevertheless, with the continued support and contributions from everyone involved, our flight operations are progressing well. Our next step involves introducing Boeing LR series aircraft to Bali, offering approximately 300 seats per departure. Plans for flights from Bombay are indeed on cards, pending bilateral approvals and support. Rest assured, we are actively working towards these goals and anticipate positive outcomes in the near future,” she told ETTravelWorld. “If all goes according to plan for strengthening our Delhi departures, we may introduce wide-body aircraft from Delhi in the future. Merger is on the cards with Air India and we are still assessing on how it opens or works out,” she added.
Mumbai remains a consistent frontrunner as the primary source city for South African Tourism in India. Reflecting this trend, inbound tourism from Mumbai saw a substantial 37 per cent year-on-year growth in 2023, contributing to the overall surge in leisure and business travel. Overall, for India, there has been a 43 per cent increase from previous year. Neliswa Nkani, Hub Head – Middle East, India, and South East Asia, South African Tourism shares more.
$10 tourist fee an investment in environmental conservation, not a deterrent
To conserve the cultural richness of Bali and to avoid the repercussions of overtourism, the Indonesian government had recently introduced a USD 10 levy on foreign tourists upon their arrival. This measure exempts domestic travellers, diplomatic visa holders, and citizens of ASEAN countries from the tourism levy.
“We all admire Bali, which is a sought-after destination for Indians. Indonesia, as a nation, is known for its warm hospitality and excellent services. However, tourism also brings about certain challenges, such as environmental damage and waste generation. Therefore, it’s crucial to address these issues by focusing on waste reduction at the source. Given that 80 per cent of Bali’s economy relies on tourism, it’s paramount to safeguard it,” said Sanjay Sondhi, Country Manager, Visit Indonesia Tourism Office India.
Acknowledging that the recent implementation of a tourist fee is a must to preserve the local culture and protect the environment, Sondhi said that it’s essential for the local community to feel involved and not suffer from the negative impacts of tourism.
“Bali boasts ancient irrigation systems, UNESCO heritage sites and picturesque paddy fields, offering unique experiences beyond urban areas. It also stands out for its cultural diversity, with over 20,000 temples and a rich Hindu heritage. Tourism specialists in India can tailor itineraries to showcase these authentic experiences and promote a harmonious coexistence with nature,” he suggested.
“The USD 10 fee should be viewed as an investment in environmental conservation rather than a deterrent, following the example set by other nations like Bhutan, where a USD 100 fee is imposed per person. As stakeholders from India, we should support these efforts to ensure sustainable tourism practices and protect Bali’s natural assets,” Sondhi expressed.
75 years of bilateral relations to foster tourism
Notably, Indonesia is also completing its 75 years of bilateral relations with India. Symbolising the enduring bond between the two nations, the ambassador referenced the shared values and historical ties represented by the special logo, adorned with colours reminiscent of both the Indian and Indonesian flags.
She said that a series of celebrations, showcasing Indonesia’s commitment to deepening cultural and economic exchanges with India have been planned this year. This includes cultural and dance performances, festivals, and sales missions across major Indian cities.
Echoing the sentiments through a popular quote- Bali is more than a place. It’s a mood; it’s magical. It’s a tropical state of mind, the ambassador remarked, “As a representative of the government, I am encouraged by the growing closeness between Indonesia and India, which is reflected not only in our symbolic gestures in the logo but also in tangible collaborations post-COVID-19,” she concluded.
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Uttar Pradesh continues to solidify its position on the global tourism map, achieving new milestones each year. In 2022, the number of tourists visiting UP was 31.85 crores, while in the first nine months of 2023, over 32 crore tourists, including a significant number of international visitors, explored Uttar Pradesh.
Among the various destinations in the state, Kashi attracted the highest number of tourists, while Prayagraj and Ayodhya also witnessed the arrival of crores of visitors.
The year 2023 marked a significant milestone for Uttar Pradesh across diverse sectors. Achieving top positions in both central and state welfare schemes, the state also experienced notable progress in the field of tourism. From January to September 2023, the number of domestic tourists visiting Uttar Pradesh was 31,91,95,206, and 9,54,866 foreign tourists also explored the state.
Notably, Varanasi, in particular, witnessed the highest number of tourist arrivals. From January to September, a total of 8,42,04,814 tourists visited Varanasi, with 8,40,71,726 being domestic tourists and 1,33,088 being international tourists.
These figures contrast with the previous year’s figures of INR 91 crore revenue and 8.50 lakh tourist rides in 2022. MD of J&K Cable Car Corporation, Raja Yaqoob has appealed to tourists to avail the online mode of ticket selling for their convenience, time saving and curbing the chances of any black marketing by any tout.
After Kashi, Prayagraj emerges as the second choice for tourists. A total of 4,49,95,996 tourists visited here from January to September 2023. Among them, the number of domestic tourists was 4,49,93,289, while 2,707 foreign tourists also explored Prayagraj.Similarly, Ayodhya secured the third position in terms of tourist arrivals. From January 23 to September 23, a total of 2,03,64,347 tourists visited Ayodhya. Among them, the number of domestic tourists was 2,03,62,713, while 1,634 were international tourists.
It is noteworthy that the highest number of tourists coming to Uttar Pradesh was recorded between January and July, ranging between 5.56 to 5.80 crore. (ANI)
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“Almost 1 million foreign tourists came to Moscow in the first half of the year. Over 600 thousand people over the summer alone,” said Evgeny Kozlov, Chairman, The Moscow City Tourism Committee on his recent visit to India.
Kozlov was in India to meet Indian tourism stakeholders and participate in a trade event.
For Russia, the importance of Indian tourists is gradually increasing and the tourism committee is actively looking at engaging the Indian traveller more. According to Kozlov, the tourist traffic from India was growing at 12-15 per cent annually, before Covid-19 put a halt on tourism activities.
Apart from Goa, Aeroflot operates direct flights from Moscow to Delhi throughout the year. The south of India is a popular destination for beach holidays for Russians in the fall and winter. The flights are expected to be in high demand, providing tourists with comfortable and direct access to the Indian Ocean coast. The up-to-date schedule is available on Aeroflot’s website.
“After the pandemic, only 20,000 Indians came to visit Russia. But, now we are on the way to recovery. All the necessary conditions have been created for this. Thanks to e-visa possibilities, more than 3,000 people from India visited Moscow within two months,” he shared. The city hopes to reach the pre-pandemic figures next year and to make that possible, is working closely with the Federal Ministry of Tourism to launch no visa group tourism between our two countries. “We believe that it will stimulate the partnership and eventually, tourism,” he said.
According to Kozlov, an increasing number of Indian businessmen are choosing Moscow as their preferred destination for business events. For Moscow, business tourists account for one fifth of all tourist traffic to the city. At the same time, about 40 per cent of all business tourists return to the city with family or friends.
According to the information shared by The Moscow City Tourism Committee, in 2022, the most frequent business visitors to Moscow from non-CIS countries were from China, Turkey and India. The number of business visits from Asia-Pacific countries showed high growth rates – 14 per cent.
“At present, China is the top tourism source market for Russia followed by the Middle East and then Turkey. India stands at the sixth position. But, with new incentives and promotional push in place, we hope for India to be in the top three tourism markets for us,” he said.
According to Kozlov, the number of tourists from China is six times higher this year than the previous one. The driving factors for the increase have been their growing curiosity to learn more about Russia, group free visa facility and good air connectivity. “We have 50 direct flights to different cities of China from Moscow,” he said.
And now, with growing bilateral cooperation, Russia is looking at replicating the model with India. “We are in touch with the authorities to establish new direct flights from India to Moscow. Because we are ready, all our infrastructure is ready. And now the Indians just have to come and explore our country,” he said.
“Every week we will get six charter flights coming in,” said a representative of one of the tour operators. “Flights from Kazakhstan and one flight from Uzbekistan will also come. This season looks to be good.” Aeroflot will fly to Goa thrice a week from Moscow, and twice from Yekaterinburg. The EU has imposed restrictions on Russians travelling to Europe following the Russia-Ukraine conflict, with some countries imposing an outright ban.
Currently, there are 10 direct daily flights from Moscow to India. Of these, seven direct flights connect Moscow to New Delhi and three direct flights connect Moscow to Goa.
“As a region, we would like to have new flight connections to Ahmedabad, Kolkata and Mumbai, to start with. We would like people from both the countries to explore each others’ rituals and traditions and eventually promote tourism,” he said.
Russia as a tourism product, according to Kozlov, is designed to fit all pockets. “Accommodation to suit your pocket is very easy to find in Russia. There are approximately 2,000 hotels in Moscow that can fit into different budgets – from five star to affordable price hotels for group tourists. In fact, it is much better to stay in a hotel rather than an apartment,” said Kozlov.
To push MICE tourism, Moscow is all set to host the international conference Meet Global MICE Congress for the first time on October 6. The participants to this event will include 250 representatives of the business tourism industry from 14 countries, including India, China, Indonesia and Malaysia – the largest number of delegations being from India and China, the city tourism committee shared.
“Additionally, we are implementing an online training and certification program for Moscow MICE Ambassadors, in cooperation with the Association of MICE Agencies of India to promote Moscow as an attractive destination for business tourism. The program is expected to expand to four streams by 2024 and by the end of the year we will already have 200 MICE ambassadors from India,” shared Kozlov.
Film tourism is the next big thing on Moscow’s tourism agenda. “In five years, Moscow will be among the top five destinations for film tourism,” asserted Kozlov. “Our foremost priority is to attract filmmakers to Moscow and show them how easy it is to produce a new film here,” he said, adding that Moscow offers a single window clearance for those interested in shooting a film in the country. Currently, the website is in Russian, but will be available in English in two months.
“In all, we are very serious about developing a strong tourism bond between the two countries and we hope it will be well received by the people of this country,” he concluded.
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