India’s outbound tourism market is projected to grow from $23.4 billion in 2026 to $68.8 billion by 2036, expanding at an 11.4% CAGR. Outbound trips are expected to increase fivefold by 2040. With rising disposable incomes, wider passport penetration, improved air connectivity and a growing appetite for experiential travel, Indian travellers are reshaping global tourism demand. T&A Consulting helps national tourism organisations, destination marketing agencies and hospitality businesses design strategies to capture the Indian outbound travel market.

Introduction: The Scale of the Indian Outbound Opportunity

India is now among the world’s top five countries for outbound tourism. Indian overseas travel data shows leisure travel making up 42.52% of foreign departures in 2024, underscoring a fundamental shift from business and VFR (visiting friends and relatives) travel toward leisure-driven exploration. The market is being fuelled by structural factors: India’s median age is 28, the middle class is expanding rapidly, and first-time international travellers are emerging from Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities at unprecedented rates.

Budget 2026 supported this trajectory by rationalising the Tax Collected at Source (TCS) on overseas tour packages, reducing the upfront liquidity burden on Indian travellers. Combined with expanding visa-free and visa-on-arrival agreements (India now enjoys simplified entry to over 60 destinations), the structural barriers to outbound travel are lower than ever.

Who Is the Indian Outbound Traveller in 2026?

The Indian outbound market is not monolithic. Understanding the distinct traveller segments is critical for destination marketing:

• Affluent urban professionals (25-45). The primary driver of leisure outbound travel. They seek experiential, Instagram-worthy destinations, premium dining, adventure activities and cultural immersion. They research extensively online, book through OTAs and are influenced by social media and peer recommendations.
• Family travellers. Multi-generational family trips remain a dominant travel pattern. Destinations that offer child-friendly infrastructure, vegetarian food options, safety and visa simplicity perform well. Southeast Asia (Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Bali) and the Middle East (Dubai, Abu Dhabi) dominate this segment.
• First-time international travellers from Tier-2/3 cities. The fastest-growing segment. These travellers are price-sensitive, prefer group tours and short-haul destinations, and often rely on vernacular-language content and local travel agents. Destinations that invest in Hindi and regional language marketing will capture this cohort.
• Wellness and spiritual travellers. A growing niche seeking yoga retreats, Ayurvedic spas, pilgrimage circuits and health-focused holidays. Destinations like Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Bali and parts of Europe are attracting this segment.
• Solo travellers and digital nomads. A rapidly emerging segment, particularly among young professionals. They seek flexible itineraries, co-working spaces, digital connectivity and cultural authenticity.
• MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, Exhibitions). India’s corporate sector is a significant source of MICE travel. The government’s “Meet in India” initiative has boosted domestic MICE, but Indian corporates also organise large-scale incentive trips and conferences abroad.

Key Trends Shaping Indian Outbound Travel

• Experiential over aspirational. Indian travellers are moving beyond “see the landmark” tourism toward immersive experiences: cooking classes in Tuscany, Northern Lights excursions in Norway, wine trails in South Africa and cultural workshops in Japan.
• Sustainable and responsible tourism. Environmental consciousness is growing, especially among younger travellers who prefer eco-conscious choices, community-based stays and destinations with strong sustainability credentials.
• Cruise holidays. Cruise tourism from India is growing rapidly, with major operators expanding routes from Mumbai, Goa and Chennai. Mediterranean, Southeast Asian and Middle Eastern cruise itineraries are particularly popular.
• Digital-first booking. The increasing penetration of online travel aggregators (OTAs) and AI-driven itinerary planning tools is streamlining bookings. Multi-lingual support and vernacular content are expanding reach in non-metro cities.
• New destinations gaining share. While traditional favourites (Dubai, Singapore, Thailand, Europe) remain dominant, destinations in Central Asia (Georgia, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan), Eastern Europe (Poland, Hungary, Croatia) and South America are gaining traction among adventurous Indian travellers.
• Flexible payment and travel financing. Travel financing options, EMI-based bookings and BNPL (Buy Now Pay Later) models are lowering the cost barrier for international travel, particularly for Tier-2 city travellers.

What Destination Marketing Organisations Should Do

For national tourism boards and destination marketing organisations (DMOs) targeting Indian travellers, the following strategies are essential:

• Invest in digital and social media marketing. Indian travellers research extensively on Instagram, YouTube, Google and travel review platforms before booking. Influencer partnerships, short-form video content and user-generated content campaigns are highly effective.
• Localise content and services. Destinations that offer Hindi and regional language marketing materials, vegetarian food options, Indian payment acceptance (UPI is now live in 8 countries) and culturally sensitive hospitality will outperform those that don’t.
• Simplify visa processes. Visa complexity remains a significant deterrent. Destinations offering visa-free entry, e-visas or visa-on-arrival consistently attract more Indian travellers.
• Target Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities. The next wave of Indian outbound growth will come from cities like Jaipur, Lucknow, Kochi, Indore and Chandigarh. DMOs should establish presence at regional travel expos, partner with local travel agents and invest in vernacular digital content.
• Develop India-specific packages. Curated packages that address Indian traveller preferences — vegetarian dining, family-friendly accommodations, shopping opportunities, flexible itineraries — perform significantly better than generic offerings.
• Leverage Bollywood and cricket. Film tourism (destinations featured in Bollywood movies) and cricket-linked travel (IPL team travel, ICC tournament tourism) are powerful demand drivers in the Indian market.

How T&A Consulting Supports Tourism Strategy

T&A Consulting has deep experience advising national tourism organisations and destination marketing agencies on the Indian outbound market:

• Market research and demand analysis. We provide data-driven insights into Indian traveller segments, source city analysis, seasonal demand patterns and competitive positioning.
• Destination marketing strategy. We design multi-channel marketing campaigns targeting Indian travellers, including digital marketing, influencer partnerships, trade outreach and media relations.
• Trade engagement and B2B partnerships. We facilitate partnerships between destination tourism boards and Indian travel trade, including OTAs, tour operators, airlines and corporate travel managers.
• Event strategy and roadshows. We organise and manage destination roadshows, trade events and media familiarisation trips in India.
• Policy advisory. We advise governments on visa policy, tourism infrastructure development and India-specific tourism strategies.

Contact us at: pnijhawan@taglobalgroup.com to discuss how to capture the Indian outbound tourism market.

Sources & references:
IBEF, Future Market Insights, ITB Berlin, Travel Trends Today, Travel and Tour World

India hosts over 2,100 Global Capability Centers (GCCs) employing approximately 2 million professionals and contributing over $64 billion in annual revenue. In 2025, GCCs accounted for 38% of office leasing across India’s top seven cities, the highest volume ever recorded. What began as a cost-arbitrage model has evolved into strategic command centers driving AI, product engineering and enterprise transformation at global scale. T&A Consulting helps multinational enterprises design, establish and scale GCC operations in India across technology, financial services, healthcare and manufacturing sectors.

Introduction: The Third Wave of GCC Evolution

India’s GCC story has evolved through three distinct phases. The first wave (2000-2010) was driven by cost arbitrage, with companies setting up back-office operations for IT support, payroll and basic data processing. The second wave (2010-2020) saw GCCs evolve into shared services centers handling higher-value functions such as analytics, finance, HR and procurement. The third wave, now well underway, has transformed GCCs into global innovation engines that own end-to-end product lifecycles, drive AI and digital transformation strategies, and increasingly participate in C-suite decision-making.

By 2030, India is expected to host over 2,500 GCCs employing 2.8 to 2.9 million professionals and contributing approximately $105 billion in revenue. The acceleration is driven by multiple factors: India’s unmatched STEM talent pipeline (over 2.5 million graduates annually), competitive operating costs, maturing digital infrastructure, a vibrant startup ecosystem for talent sourcing and innovation partnerships, and increasingly sophisticated state-level policies designed to attract and retain GCC investment.

What GCCs Do Today: Beyond Cost Savings

The modern GCC in India bears little resemblance to its predecessor. A survey of GCC leaders in 2026 found that 92% report their centers provide value far beyond cost savings. Key functions now handled by India GCCs include:

• AI and generative AI development. India GCCs are at the forefront of enterprise AI adoption, building large language model applications, computer vision systems, predictive analytics platforms and AI-driven automation across business functions from supply chain to customer service.
• Product engineering and R&D. Many GCCs now own complete product development cycles, from concept through design, engineering, testing and deployment. Companies such as Google, Microsoft, Amazon and SAP run some of their most critical product engineering operations from India.
• Cybersecurity operations. With cybersecurity threats escalating globally, India GCCs are building security operations centers (SOCs), threat intelligence capabilities and security product development teams. Deepwatch, a US cybersecurity firm, opened its GCC in Bengaluru specifically for AI-driven threat detection.
• Financial services transformation. BFSI sector GCCs handle everything from algorithmic trading platform development to regulatory technology (RegTech), risk modeling and digital banking infrastructure. Companies like JPMorgan Chase, Goldman Sachs and Deutsche Bank run major technology operations from India.
• ESG and sustainability reporting. ESG reporting hubs are the fastest-growing GCC segment in 2026, as global regulatory requirements for sustainability disclosure increase and companies centralise their ESG data management and reporting in India.
• Semiconductor design. Over 50 GCCs now have dedicated fabless semiconductor design units, supporting India’s broader semiconductor ambitions alongside the government’s $10 billion incentive programme.

City-Level Specialisation: Where to Build

India’s GCC landscape is characterised by city-level specialisation that companies should consider when selecting locations:

• Bengaluru. India’s GCC capital, hosting the largest concentration of centers across technology, BFSI, healthcare and retail. Deep talent pools in software engineering, AI and data science. Highest operating costs among Indian cities, but unmatched ecosystem density.
• Hyderabad. The fastest-growing GCC hub, with strong specialisation in pharmaceutical R&D, aerospace, defence and IT services. Lower operating costs than Bengaluru with increasingly competitive talent availability.
• Pune. Strong engineering and automotive talent base. Preferred by German and Japanese companies for manufacturing-linked GCC operations. Growing fintech and healthtech presence.
• Chennai. Traditional strength in manufacturing, automotive and IT services. Large GCCs from companies like Caterpillar, Daimler and PayPal. Emerging as a hub for hardware engineering and supply chain technology.
• Delhi-NCR (Gurugram/Noida). Financial services, consulting and FMCG GCC concentration. Proximity to government and regulatory bodies. DAMAC Group (UAE) launched its GCC in Noida in 2025.
• Tier-2 cities emerging. Coimbatore, Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Mysuru, Kochi and Nagpur are seeing 20% faster GCC growth than metros, driven by 30% lower operational costs. Approximately 40% of GCCs are expanding hiring into Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities to tap new talent pools and mitigate attrition risks.

Operating Models: Captive, BOT and Managed GCC

Companies establishing GCCs in India typically choose from three operating models:

• Captive (fully owned). The company establishes and operates its own entity in India. This provides maximum control over talent, IP, culture and operations but requires significant upfront investment in entity setup, office infrastructure, HR systems and local leadership recruitment. Suited for large enterprises with long-term India commitment.
• Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT). A GCC-as-a-service partner sets up and operates the center on behalf of the company, then transfers ownership after a defined period (typically 18-36 months). This accelerates time-to-value and reduces execution risk, making it suitable for companies new to India.
• Managed GCC. The company contracts a partner to manage ongoing GCC operations while retaining strategic oversight. This model offers operational flexibility and shared infrastructure benefits, suitable for mid-sized companies or those testing India before committing to a fully captive model.

Policy Environment and Incentives

Indian state governments are actively competing for GCC investment. Karnataka and Maharashtra have introduced dedicated GCC policies offering rental reimbursements, tax breaks and incentives for centers that establish operations outside main metros. The Union Budget 2026 introduced new tax incentives for centers specialising in R&D and “Safe Harbour” rules for mid-sized GCCs that simplify transfer pricing compliance.

India’s GCC-friendly policy environment extends beyond fiscal incentives. The country’s expanding network of trade agreements (India-UK CETA, India-EFTA, US-India interim framework) creates preferential access to major markets, making India-based GCCs an even more attractive proposition for companies seeking to serve multiple geographies from a single strategic location.

How T&A Consulting Supports GCC Strategy

T&A Consulting provides comprehensive advisory for multinational enterprises establishing or scaling GCC operations in India:

• Location strategy and site selection. We evaluate cities and specific micro-markets based on talent availability, cost benchmarks, infrastructure quality, state-level incentives and ecosystem fit for the company’s functional requirements.
• Entity setup and regulatory compliance. We manage the incorporation process, including company registration, FEMA compliance, tax registrations and sector-specific licensing.
• Operating model advisory. We help companies select the optimal GCC operating model (captive, BOT or managed) based on their strategic objectives, timeline, budget and risk appetite.
• Talent strategy and leadership search. We advise on talent acquisition strategy, compensation benchmarking and senior leadership recruitment for GCC operations.
• Ongoing advisory and expansion support. We provide ongoing support for compliance, policy updates, expansion into additional cities and optimisation of GCC operations.

Contact us at: pnijhawan@taglobalgroup.com to discuss your GCC strategy in India.

Sources & references:
JLL India, Flexiple, KAS Business Consulting, ALP Consulting