Germany Targets 1 Million Indian Tourist Stays by 2026, Addresses Visa Hurdles

• Germany aims for 10 lakh (1 million) overnight stays by Indian tourists in 2026, after narrowly missing the 2025 target.
• GNTO India projects 9.6 lakh overnights for 2025 and a 10% year-on-year growth until 2030, targeting 2 million eventually.
• Missing the 2025 goal was attributed to visa issues and Indians choosing other destinations; GNTO seeks faster visa processing.
• Strategies include promoting cultural/romantic destinations, seasonal travel, Indian weddings, and VFR tourism (60,000 Indian students).
• Indian tourists spent 1.1 billion euros in 2024, with an average stay exceeding nine nights.

Why It Matters: Germany is aggressively pursuing 1 million Indian tourist overnights by 2026, tackling visa challenges.