Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Bhutan: Most favourite tourist destinations for Indians, says survey
Of late, Indian tourists are eyeing former Soviet republic countries, neighbours like Bhutan and Nepal and countries like Japan and Saudi Arabia, said a report
The former Soviet Republic, Kazakhstan, with its stunning sweeping landscapes, and Azerbaijan, with its unique mountains and historic architecture, are the emerging hotspots for Indian travellers.
Bhutan, with its monasteries, snow-capped mountains, and exotic wildlife, is another story that Indians are falling in love with. What with more Indians travelling to international destinations, in fact there is a 32 per cent growth in people taking two or more trips in a year, new countries around the world are capturing the fancy of Indians.
Traditionally, UAE, Thailand, and the USA may be favoured but beautiful former Soviet republic countries, small neighbours like Bhutan and Nepal and giants like Japan and Saudi Arabia are the places Indians are eyeing, says a Make My Trip survey.
MakeMyTrip, an online travel company, recently released its ‘How India Travels Abroad’ report for the period of June 2023 to May 2024, zeroing in on the top 10 countries that Indians are flocking to.
Top searches
Interestingly, when it comes to top searches made by Indian tavellers online, Almaty in Kazakhstan and Baku in Azerbaijan have seen phenomenal growth rates of 527 per cent and 395 per cent respectively. In terms of country, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan and Bhutan are the most searched places.
Why Kazakhstan tops the list as an emerging Indian tourist hotspot
Kazakhstan may boast of striking mountains and salt pans, stunning lakes, gorges, and rich woods and oodles of culture and history. Lake Kaindy, located 250 km from its capital Almaty is celebrated for its beauty and uniqueness. It has 'singing dunes', snow-capped peaks making it a cheaper alternative to the Swiss Alps, and historical museums and a bustling night life in the cultural capital of Astana.
Kazakhstan holds enough such charms and more for Indian tourists. However, according to reports, Kazakhstan is becoming a hot favourite among Indians also because of the easy visa access as Indian tourists get 14 day visa-free travel. According to the Kazakh Tourism Committee, the number of Indian tourists has ‘rocketed’ since the country introduced a 14-day visa-free regime for Indian citizens in 2022.
Secondly, there are direct flights from New Delhi to Almaty, Kazakhstan's largest city. (Incidentally, the capital Almaty is a vibrant cultural hub which holds attractions like the Central State Museum, Zenkov Cathedral etc.) It is just a three-hour flight from New Delhi (similar to Dubai) to Almaty. Thirdly, social media travel influencers too have fanned interest in Kazakhstan with their Instagram reels.
Places not to miss here: Located in southern Kazakhstan, Turkestan is home to the Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a major pilgrimage site.
- Lake Kaindy located in the Tian Shan Mountains, Almaty, is famous for its submerged forest and striking blue water. Experience living like the Kazakh nomads in yurts. The yurt is one of the oldest inventions of portable lodging; the inside of the dome-like structure is composed of animal skin or felt, while the outside is coated with a waterproof canvas.
Why is Azerbaijan popular among Indians?
A former Soviet state, Azerbaijan shares its borders with countries like Russia, Georgia, Turkey, Armenia and Iran. The capital Baku is the most attractive place for tourists since it resembles an European city and is also easy on the pocket. The airfare costs as less than ₹40,000-₹30,000 and the flight takes around five hours.
Besides, the new e-visa system makes it very simple to get a visa to enter Azerbaijan. An Azerbaijani visa costs just ₹1,600 as compared to European visas, which are horribly expesnive. Food is cheap and the place is relatively safe for women. According to the Azerbaijan Tourism Board, from January of this year to July, Azerbaijan had a significant 1,40,000 travellers from India this year.
This is a 2.7 times jump as compared to last year.
Places to visit here: Interesting spots to visit in this country are the old city of Baku, the Gobustan State Historical and Cultural Reserve, with its ancient stone sculptures, volcanoes and beautiful landscapes. Nature lovers revel in the natural biodiversity found in this reserve.
Azerbaijan also has the most number of mud volcanoes spread across the country. The resort town of Qabala in the mountains, quaint city of Sheki are other favourite tourist spots.
What makes Bhutan attractive
Bhutan figures third on this list of emerging favourite tourist spots for Indians. This small country (the size of Switzerland) is truly unique. It’s the world’s only Buddhist monarchy, the only country entirely contained within the Himalayas and is the first carbon-neutral country on earth.
Indian travellers don't need a visa to enter Bhutan. All travelers entering Bhutan must pay a Sustainable Development Fee (SDF ), for Indian residents, it is ₹1,200 per person per night.
Thimpu has many attractions including having one of the largest statues of Buddha made of bronze and gilded in gold. It towers over Thimpu.
The National Memorial Chorten is where Buddhists circle clockwise while reciting prayers and whirl prayer wheels. There is the Tiger’s Nest (Taktsang), which is a beautiful monastery located in the cliff-side of the upper Paro Valley, in Bhutan. Punakha Dzong, Zuri Dzong Hike, Gangtey Valley and Bumthang Valley are some other breathtaking destinations in Bhutan. It is no wonder then that Indians have realised the value of heading to this neighbouring country.
Here's the list of the top 10 countries emerging as favourite tourist spots for Indians:
Kazakhstan
Azerbaijan
Bhutan
Hong Kong
Sri Lanka
Japan
Malaysia
Nepal
Russia
Saudi Arabia
