Indian travellers are increasingly heading to Southeast Asia as countries like Malaysia, the Philippines, Palau, and Sri Lanka ease visa restrictions. New data from Agoda reveals a significant increase in accommodation searches from India, particularly to destinations that have recently introduced visa-free access. Malaysia, Palau and the Philippines have seen double-digit increases, indicating how policy changes are shaping regional travel trends.
Easing visa rules across Southeast Asia is fueling outbound tourism from India, according to the latest figures from the Digital travel platform Agoda. As more countries open their borders to Indian passport holders with simplified or waived visa requirements, Indian travellers are responding with increased interest and travel planning.
Agoda analysed accommodation searches made between July and December 2024 for travel between January and May 2025. The platform recently experienced important spikes from year to year in searches for countries that relaxed visa rules.
Malaysia, which offered visa-free admission to Indian citizens in 2023, recorded a 47% increase in housing finds from India. Destinations such as Langkawi, Kuala Lumpur, and the Highlands saw a new surge in interest.
Similarly, Palau, a low-wide wide-Pacific Island Nation, saw an increase of 49
