Calls for direct flights to major Indian cities and travel concessions for students

India is emerging as Australia’s second biggest market for tourists and students but aviation, education and tourism experts warn not enough is being done to capitalise on this massive new market.

India is emerging as Australia’s second biggest market for tourists and students after China but aviation, education and tourism experts warn not enough is being done to capitalise on this massive new market.

Indian born residents in Sydney have more than doubled in the last decade driving up visitor numbers as family and friends come to Australia.

Outgoing Sydney International Airport chief Geoff Culbert called for an increase in direct flights from India to cope with the demand.

Indian student Ashrika Paruthi wants transport concessions. Picture: Jonathan Ng

“We don’t need another flight from Sydney to Melbourne in the morning peak,” he said.

“We need more flights to and from India and Vietnam.”

Air India has been privatised and ordered 470 new planes with 100,000 visitors flying in from Mumbai alone every year. But Mr Culbert said there were no direct flights.

Sydney University Vice-chancellor and President Mark Scott said more needed to be done to support overseas students in Australia.

“It is clear that our international students contribute significantly to our city’s community and our state’s economy and we need to ensure they are supported,” he said.

International student numbers are booming. Sydney University has seen an increase in student numbers from India of almost 80 per cent. It is the biggest market after China and ahead of Vietnam which has seen an increase in enrolments of 41.7 per cent and Indonesia at 36.8 per cent.

Sydney University has seen an increase in student numbers from India of almost 80 per cent. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Damian Shaw

“A number of our students continue to face acute challenges with studying a long way from home and the current cost of living pressures only compound those difficulties,” Prof Scott said.

“NSW remains the only jurisdiction in Australia that does not offer international students some sort of public transport concession despite numerous reviews, campaigns and one trial of a limited concession for international students between 2012 and 2016.

“This is also why we strongly advise against Australia adopting an international student fee levy,” he said of the proposal that was outlined in the interim Australian Universities Accord report. The final report is due next month.

University of NSW student Ashrika Paruthi, 23, from Dehli, said high rents were forcing students to move further out of Sydney with a resultant rise in travel costs.

“Transport concessions would really help students who sometimes miss classes and cannot work because they cannot afford to get there,” she said.

Air India has ordered 470 new planes with 100,000 visitors flying in from Mumbai every year.

Pawan Luthra Pawan, chief executive of Indian Link Media Group, said the students were part of an increasing number of Indian residents who were driving visits from friends and family.

“Demand is only going to increase with more friends and family coming to visit. At the moment Victoria is the destination of choice.

“It has done a great job with Bollywood film festivals and I think NSW has been a bit slow in promoting itself to Indians.

Mr Luthra said an increasingly affluent middle class in India were also looking to Australia as a possible tourist destination.

“There is a rising middle class in India and they are going to want to come to Australia because they see it as a safe and friendly country.

“Young Indians want to come here and go to the MasterChef studios because that show is huge in India,” he said.