Philippines implements e-Visa system for Indian travelers

The Philippines is ready to capture India’s rising outbound market, the Department of Tourism (DOT) said Friday as the country fully implements its new e-Visa system in India, according to a report by Philippine News Agency.

In an interview on the sidelines of the two-day Philippine Dive Experience in Anilao, Batangas, Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco welcomed the Department of Foreign Affairs’ (DFA) issuance of e-Visas to Indian nationals, saying local destinations are ready to welcome more of them.

“We welcome the announcement of the Department of Foreign Affairs on the full automation of the electronic visa system for India,” she said.

“This is something that the administration has been working on for some time, and we greatly appreciate all the efforts to launch this, especially that we're looking at India as a very robust outbound market to come into the Philippines.”

India’s outbound travel is expected to grow into a USD55.39 billion market by 2034 while the number of Indians traveling overseas is projected to increase to 50 million in 2030, according to India-based consultancy firm Nangia NXT.

In its latest report, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) said India is also set to become the “future growth engine for global tourism,” with the rapid expansion of the middle classes and scaling up of air connectivity across the country.

“The Philippines has been ready for quite some time, and we are very eager to finally open up the doors to the Indian market,” Frasco said.

The Philippines has been in talks with the Indian government since 2023 to develop this market and cater to its traveling public, including through this e-Visa initiative and the possibility of more flights to the Philippines.

The government, Frasco said, is also coordinating with local tour operators to make sure the market is “ripe for travel to the Philippines.”

“We are excited to welcome our friends from India, especially that we offer tourism products that are very attractive to the Indian market,” she said, mentioning the country’s host of wellness and gastronomy destinations, specifically Cebu as a leading wedding destination.