India, 05th August 2025: Indian travellers are increasingly saying yes to global holidays, with travel-tech platform Alike reporting strong uptake of its Free Visa Holidays campaign. Designed to simplify international travel for Indian tourists, the campaign removes one of the most significant barriers to outbound tourism – visa costs and their complexity.
With destinations like Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Bali as anchors, the campaign is striking a chord across Tier 1 metros, as well as among working professionals and urban migrants from smaller towns looking to plan their first international trips. For many, the promise of a visa-free, no-hassle booking experience has made international travel feel not just possible, but personal.
“We launched this campaign to remove the most common red tape Indian travellers face – the cost and complexity of the visa process,” said Ashish Sidhra, Co-founder of Alike. “The response has reinforced that people are ready to explore the world; they just want the friction taken out of the way.”
This growing interest mirrors India’s expanding global travel access. In 2005, Indian passport holders had visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to just 25 countries. Today, that number has more than tripled, with nearly 90 countries now offering simplified e-visas or visa-on-arrival options, reflecting a CAGR of almost 6% over the last two decades. In the same period, outbound travel has surged from under 7 million trips in 2005 to over 28 million in 2024, driven by a rising wave of first-time leisure travellers seeking short-haul, visa-easy holidays.
Alike’s campaign not only aligns with this trend, but helps convert access into action – simplifying discovery, removing red tape, and creating more inclusive, tech-enabled travel experiences for all.
“We aren’t just handing out a freebie,” Ashish added. “We’re raising the bar for what travel should feel like — personal, smooth, far more convenient and accessible. This is about building confidence in international travel again, especially for those doing it for the very first time.”
Alike’s Free Visa Holidays campaign continues to unlock global holidays for a new generation of Indian travellers, along with optional itinerary planning support. While the visa waiver is a key feature, the platform also provides tools for digital trip planning, catering to travelers who seek convenience and flexibility in their travel.
