All Eyes Abroad: Vistara Launches Direct Flights To Doha And Bali

If you are already planning your holidays next year, there's a solid reason why you must have your eyes set on Bali and Doha. Premier airline carrier Vistara announced on December 1 that it has launched direct flights between Delhi and Bali and will start flights connecting Mumbai and Doha on December 15. This development comes to the fore as both Doha and Bali have risen up the ranks to be favourite destinations among Indian travellers, not just for leisure purposes but also as attractive options for MICE. Earlier this year, with an aim to expand its network, Vistara also announced direct flights between Delhi and Hong Kong.

Outbound Tourism To Grow

Among the many key developments in the tourism industry this year, the most remarkable has been the number of Indian travellers venturing beyond the border. At the beginning of this year, a PTI report projected that Indian travellers are poised to spend USD 42 Billion on outbound tourism by 2024. Another report titled "Unlock the Potential: A Look Into Outbound Tourism" by Nangia Andersen, in association with the Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, supports this finding as it states that India's outbound tourism is set to reach USB 44.7 billion by 2032. 

The World Opens Up

This comes as a result of many significant developments in the aviation industry and key government partnerships between countries. Firstly, there has been an increase in the number of airports and terminals over the last decade, with 73 airports becoming operational since 2017. The effect of this has been augmented by the opening up of more international destinations to Indian tourists. Over the last few months, several attractive destinations have launched the facility of an e-visa or Visa on Arrival for Indian tourists, removing the hindrance of queueing up or appointment delays.

Moreover, many destinations have removed the hindrances of long queues and delayed appointments out of the way. Several attractive destinations, including Indonesia, have introduced e-visa or visa-on-arrival facilities to cater to the increasing number of Indian travellers. Most recently, many countries, such as Thailand, Malaysia, and Sri Lanka, have sanctioned visa-free arrivals for Indian travellers, with Vietnam soon to join the list.