Travel has become a top priority among many Indians, with a rising number of people eager to explore international destinations. According to Atlys, a leading visa processing platform, there is a rise in visa applications for Summer 2025 by 68% compared to the same period last year. This follows on the back of a 45.5% increase in 2024 from 2023 and highlights a growing trend in overseas travel.
Rise In Visa Applications: Popular Holiday Spots And Changing Travel Trends
Schengen countries, the UAE, and the USA remain the destinations of choice for Indian visitors in 2025. Gen Z travellers are leading the demand for experiential trips, short trips, and spontaneous bookings. Countries such as Indonesia, Egypt, and Japan are emerging as popular for immersion experiences and rich cultural interactions.
Destinations like Dubai, Egypt, Singapore, Vietnam, and Indonesia have seen strong demand, with year-over-year growth of between 22% and 51%. This is due to reasons like an increasingly strong middle class, rising affordability and a strong post-pandemic desire to travel.
Apart from this, new foreign travellers also prefer countries having less complicated visa procedures, for example, Cambodia, Sri Lanka, and Azerbaijan. These places issue simple visas and therefore are among the choices for first-time global travellers.
A growing trend of “multi-country summer holidays” is also in demand. Tourists are maximising visa approval and cheap flights to see more than one place in a single tour. The Schengen visa is widely utilised for long trips, including France, Spain, and Italy, so that tourists can make the best out of their European holidays.
Also Read: What Is Dubai’s New 2-Year Work Visa & How To Apply?
The Future Of Indian Travel
The increasing visa applications signifies a shift in Indians’ attitudes towards travel. Atlys’s Founder and CEO, Mohak Nahta, explained the trend, which says that people do not only regard travel as a luxury but a lifestyle option now. More and more individuals are thinking of travelling between different cultures, looking for something new and using their vacations to the fullest.
With this increasing fervour, 2025 will be an all-time record for Indian tourists. With streamlined visa procedures and global travel made easy, it is evident that Indian tourists are indulging in global travel as never before. Whether it is a bucket-list trip or a weekend escape, travel is a part of daily life now.
Also Read: UAE: UK Visas To Cost 10% More From April Onwards; Details Inside
As travel becomes increasingly affordable, where will be your next adventure?
Cover Image Courtesy: Canva (For Representation)
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First Published: March 25, 2025 8:45 PM