International collabs on radar

While India has long been a treasure trove of culture and history for domestic travellers, global interest in the country’s experiences is rising steadily. From luxury train journeys to spiritual retreats, Veena World is at the forefront of curating high-quality itineraries for a discerning international audience. Sunila Patil, Founder & Chief Product Officer, Veena World, shares details with TRAVTALK.

Hazel Jain

How is the inbound market for Veena World?

Veena World has always believed that India is not just a destination but an experience — one that has the power to create lasting memories for all kinds of travellers. Over the years, we have been actively promoting India to foreigners, curating unique and immersive itineraries.

We offer the complete spectrum of Indian travel experiences — from classic cultural circuits like the Golden Triangle, Rajasthan, and Kerala to more niche offerings, such as wellness retreats, spiritual journeys, wildlife experiences, and luxury travel. Our inbound portfolio also includes some of India’s most iconic journeys like luxury train experiences aboard the Palace on Wheels and Maharajas’ Express, which remain a huge draw for international guests seeking heritage and grandeur. While inbound is currently a smaller portion of our overall business mix compared to domestic and outbound travel, it is steadily growing. We see tremendous opportunity in the inbound segment.

Which are your key international source markets?

Our primary source markets are the USA, the UK, Australia, and parts of Europe. These regions have a mature travel audience that is well-informed, experience-driven, and increasingly keen on exploring India’s culture, heritage, cuisine, and spiritual landscape. Apart from these, we are also witnessing interest from emerging markets across Southeast Asia and the Middle East, which we believe will play a stronger role in shaping inbound tourism in the years ahead.

How strong is India’s inbound potential?

India’s inbound potential is immense. However, like many DMCs, we also acknowledge certain on-ground challenges, such as limited global marketing and destination visibility, high travel costs and sometimes cumbersome visa processes, infrastructure gaps in certain circuits, and a difference in perception in some international markets.

That said, things are moving in the right direction — e-visa accessibility, better highways, improved airports, and a growing pool of trained multilingual tourist guides have already made the destination far more visitor-friendly than a decade ago. With sustained efforts and global positioning, India can emerge as a truly world-class inbound destination.

How else can a big tour operator work with the international market?

There is enormous scope to build stronger global linkages. As a large integrated tour operator, Veena World can work closely with international partners through multiple strategies. This includes strengthening B2B partnerships and collaborating with global tour operators and travel agents. We can also look at co-branded India tours, allowing partners to sell India itineraries under their own brand, supported by our on-ground expertise. We plan to participate in major international travel trade shows and networking events, which help build visibility and trust, and appoint international sales representatives to build deeper relationships with key markets. We are exploring strategic overseas offices once volumes reach a sustainable scale.