India has cemented its place as one of Australia’s most important tourism markets, ranking as the fourth-largest overall source of international visitors, with strong and steady arrivals through 2024 and 2025 pointing to sustained long-term growth.
Around 400,000 Indian visitors travelled to Australia in both 2024 and 2025, highlighting the resilience of the market and its growing contribution to the national visitor economy.
Tourism data shows India’s impact extending beyond national figures. At a state level, India ranked third among source markets in both Victoria and South Australia, reflecting its strong presence across multiple regions rather than being concentrated in a single gateway city.
Industry analysts say the consistent performance over consecutive years sets the stage for significant expansion. Indian visitor numbers to Australia are projected to climb to nearly 1.2 million by 2035, potentially lifting India into Australia’s top four tourism markets by volume.
India’s outbound travel market is expected to surge over the next decade, with an estimated 70 million Indians travelling overseas each year by 2035. For Australia, this presents a major economic opportunity, with spending by Indian travellers forecast to rise from around $1.5 billion annually to $6.1 billion in a moderate growth scenario, and as much as $9.1 billion under stronger growth assumptions.
Rising household incomes, improved flight connectivity and Australia’s sizeable Indian diaspora — including a large international student population — continue to drive travel, particularly for visiting friends and relatives. At the same time, affluent Indian travellers are increasingly seeking premium, personalised experiences, while business travel is expanding alongside deeper commercial ties, especially in the meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions sector.
The profile of Indian travellers is also evolving, with future visitors expected to be younger, more gender-balanced and less likely to travel in large multi-generational family groups, opening new opportunities for Australian tourism operators.
Industry figures say sustained growth from India reflects the impact of targeted marketing campaigns, a streamlined digital visa system and expanded air services between the two countries. Additional direct flights are widely seen as critical to supporting the next phase of expansion.
With Australia ranked among the world’s leading tourism destinations and international arrivals forecast to reach up to 20 million annually by 2035, tourism leaders say capturing a greater share of India’s fast-growing outbound travel market will be essential to the industry’s long-term success.
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