Skyone Blog | Aviation Growth To Boost Tourism Corridors

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India’s aviation growth to open new tourism corridors, says Sky One chief

Marking World Tourism Day, Jaideep Mirchandani, Group Chairman of Sky One, underlined the strong link between aviation and tourism in driving India’s economic growth. With 99.5 lakh foreign tourist arrivals in 2024 and nearly 90 per cent travelling by air, experts highlight the decisive role of airports and connectivity. Government plans to add 50 new airports and expand terminals are expected to boost tourism.

On World Tourism Day, Jaideep Mirchandani, Group Chairman of Sky One, highlightehted the deep interdependence between aviation and tourism in India, stressing their combined impact on economic growth.

Recent data tabled in the Rajya Sabha by the Ministry of Tourism revealed that India welcomed 99.5 lakh foreign tourists in 2024, approaching the pre-pandemic peak of 1.09 crore recorded in 2019. Nearly 90 per cent of these arrived by air, making airports their first point of contact with the country. “The government has already announced plans to develop 50 additional airports in the next five years under the UDAN scheme. ...
... Over the next decade, this is expected to connect 120 new destinations, providing a major impetus to tourism,” Mirchandani said.

According to a joint study with the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry, India’s outbound tourism is projected to surpass USD 44.7 billion by 2032. This presents significant opportunities for global airlines. In one example earlier this year, Kerala Tourism partnered with Malaysia Airlines for the ‘Look East’ campaign, encouraging Indians to explore East Asia while also attracting inbound travellers from markets such as China, Japan, Malaysia,Australia, Indonesia, New Zealand, Vietnam, and Laos.

Infrastructure development is advancing rapidly. New terminals are under construction in Varanasi, Agra, Darbhanga, and Bagdogra, locations with strong tourism potential. In parallel, 12 Greenfield Airports have been operationalised in the past decade, including Kushinagar, Mopa, Rajkot, Shirdi, Pakyong, and Kannur, among others. International carriers such as British Airways, Emirates, Singapore Airlines, and Malaysia Airlines are also increasing capacity, with Malaysia Airlines set to operate 80 flights daily from December. The opening of Noida (Jewar) and Navi Mumbai International Airports later this year is expected to significantly strengthen connectivity.

Mirchandani also drew attention to structural challenges. “While India’s aviation growth is remarkable, sustaining this momentum is critical to supporting tourism. Beyond capacity expansion and infrastructure, the industry must also address gaps such as the shortage of skilled pilots, engineers, and maintenance professionals. The Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) sector, for instance, currently meets only a fraction of domestic demand, with about 90 per cent of work still done overseas. These challenges need systematic attention if the aviation surge is to deliver its full benefits to tourism and related industries,” he concluded.

Source: Travel World