Tourism Recovery Accelerates as China–India Visas Restart after 5 Years

In a breakthrough for cross-border economic activity, India resumed processing tourist visas for Chinese nationals this week, ending a half-decade freeze. Within days, leading Indian hoteliers and travel platforms reported a surge in new bookings from China, spurring hopes of a quick rebound for India’s battered hospitality sector. Airlines have announced a doubling of weekly flights on key routes, and both governments signaled intent to further expand business delegations and joint exhibition events.

For the broader services sector, renewed China visitor flows represent a lifeline—supporting not just tourism but also luxury retail, education, and MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences, exhibitions) verticals. Industry watchdogs are urging stakeholders to modernize hospitality offerings and reinforce language support, ensuring that India can capitalize fully on pent-up demand from the world’s most populous nation.

The rapid normalization of travel is also being recognized as a diplomatic success, potentially setting the stage for deeper economic engagement between Asia’s two giant economies in the months ahead.