National, April 30, 2025 : The Schengen area is seeing a sharp increase in demand from Indian travellers this summer, with visa applications shooting up significantly from last year. Data from Atlys, a visa-processing platform, shows that there has been a 29% jump in Schengen visa applications, which reflects a robust recovery in global travel demand after years of pandemic-related lockdowns.
Popular Destinations and Emerging Trends
Portugal, Greece, Spain, and Italy are still the most popular points of entry into the Schengen area, with a combination of cultural heritage sites, scenic beauties, and tourism infrastructures well developed. Younger travelers, especially Millennials and Gen Z, are powering a lot of this increase, with a 23.5% increase in visa applications from this group.
Outside India’s urban centers, tier-two cities like Pune, Ahmedabad, and Chandigarh have registered a significant 17.8% rise in Schengen visa applications, indicating that travel to Europe is becoming more affordable for a wider section of the population.
Changing Travel Preferences
Though traditional luxury travel destinations such as France, Italy, and Switzerland remain popular with upscale visitors due to vineyards, beach escapes, and mountain lodges, there is also increasing demand for adventure travel. Austria, Slovenia, and northern Spain are increasingly becoming popular among adventure-seekers with ski, trekking, and unusual nature tourism activities.
The warm, pleasant summer climate of the Mediterranean, with temperatures between 20-30°C, further boosts the attractiveness of travelling in Europe during this period. More daylight hours and open-air-friendly conditions make it perfect for exploration.
A Post-Pandemic Travel Revival
The rise in visa requests indicates a wider revival in global tourism, with Indian travellers showing renewed interest in visiting abroad. The trend is put down by industry insiders to pent-up demand, streamlined visa processing, and an increasing desire for experience-based travel rather than the conventional sightseeing.
With summer holiday season knocking at the doors, the deluge of Schengen requests indicates Europe’s consistent appeal among Indian tourists. Lured by history, adventure, or pure relaxation, greater numbers of Indians than ever are planning to make European travel experiences this year.