Australia strengthens its trade ties in India

Australia Marketplace India takes place in Jaipur, highlighting strong India-Australia travel momentum.

Tourism Australia’s 19th edition of Australia Marketplace India (AMI), its flagship trade initiative, is taking place in Jaipur this week, aiming to boost the strong engagement between Indian travel businesses and Australian tourism representatives. Held from August 3rd to 6th, this annual B2B event brought together more than 100 Indian agents and 82 Australian tourism operators to showcase their tourism offerings – further highlighting growing Indian interest in Australian holidays.

With the rising interest from high-yielding Indian travellers in exploring Australia, this year’s Marketplace event said to saw a strong response from the Indian travel and trade sector. Growth in participation from Indian companies emphasised the industry’s intent to deepen destination knowledge and strengthen consumer appeal. This response was met with the rise in Australian seller representation from across the range of businesses, including lodging and tour operators, attractions, experiences, inbound tour operators, along with state and regional tourism organisations.

Commenting on the event, Jennifer Doig, Regional General Manager for South & Southeast Asia, Tourism Australia said, “With India being one of the leading markets for Australia, marketplace plays a pivotal role in connecting leading Australian tourism experts with key players in the Indian travel trade. This steady growth of travellers year on year makes it important we meet the trade community and offer a platform to showcase Australia’s premium offerings. This initiative is central to increasing tourism spending and future visitor numbers from one of our most promising inbound markets. Our travel partners remain our strongest advocates, helping position Australia as a preferred destination for India’s high-value holidaymakers.”

Nishant Kashikar, Country Manager – India & Gulf, Tourism Australia, shared, “Today’s Indian traveller seeks more than just sightseeing. They want depth, discovery, and cultural connection, all of which Australia offers in abundance. The rise of India from seventh to fifth of Australia’s top source markets reflects the growing number of Indian travellers choosing the country each year. This upward trend has been driven by a combination of consistent efforts in marketing, public relations, strategic partnerships, and strong trade engagement through platforms like Australia Marketplace India. Our Aussie Specialists, Business Event agents, and Key Distribution Partners have all played a vital role in sustaining this momentum.”

Tourism Australia is said to experience growing interest from Indian travellers, driven by a combination of strategic campaigns, enhanced accessibility, and strong community ties. A rise in direct flight connectivity between India and Australia, combined with the convenience of access to fully digital visa process, has said to have played a significant role in boosting travel. Additionally, the growing Indian diaspora in Australia, now approaching one million, along with over 100,000 Indian students, also contributes to repeat visits through family and social connections, further reinforcing the strong people to people links between the two countries.

India ranked as Australia's fifth-largest inbound tourism market for arrivals for the year ended May 2025. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), visitor arrivals data for the year ended (YE) May 2025 confirms Australia welcomed 453,000 visitors from India, up by 10%. Spending by Indian visitors for YE March 2025 was AUD 2.7 billion during this period, a jump of 14% compared to 2024.