Mauritius looks beyond honeymoons to tap growing Indian tourism market

CHENNAI: Mauritius is stepping up efforts to tap India’s outbound travel market, with a particular focus on travellers looking beyond conventional beach holidays and honeymoons.

The Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority (MTPA) received 51,005 Indian visitors between January and July 2026, a 14.5% increase over the corresponding period last year. 

An initiative by the tourism authority covering Pune, Chennai, Kolkata and Hyderabad as part of its marketing operation brought together more than 20 tourism partners from Mauritius, including hotels, destination management companies and airlines. MTPA is seeking to grow segments such as leisure, family travel, luxury, business, wellness, golf, gastronomy and adventure. 

“India is much more than an important tourism market for Mauritius; it’s a market with which we share deep cultural and historical connections,” said Benoit Harter, Director–India, Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority. 

The authority is also looking beyond India’s major metros, with plans to step up activity in emerging travel markets through trade partnerships, familiarisation trips for travel agents and targeted marketing. He added, “A younger, experience-driven segment is exploring Mauritius for adventure, nature and nightlife, while wellness and experiential travel are also emerging areas of interest. At the same time, the destination continues to target destination weddings and corporate travel, including meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions.”

Connectivity from India is supported by Air Mauritius, IndiGo and Air India. Indian passport holders can enter Mauritius without obtaining a visa before travel, with the visa issued free of charge on arrival, according to MTPA.