City sees a spike in foreign tourists

Bengaluru serves as a transit point, and hubs like Indiranagar and MG Road are popular choices for accommodation

International tourists wandering the streets of Indiranagar and MG Road or travelling by metro trains has become an unmissable sight lately. Owners of backpacker hostels concur that foreign footfalls are getting back to pre-Covid numbers.

December to February is considered the season for international tourism in India. For foreign visitors, Bengaluru mostly serves as a stopover before they travel up north or further down south, fly onward to other countries in south Asia, or head back home after a holiday.

Woke, Indiranagar, has had 65 foreign guests since January, which is three times the footfall the hostel received between August and December of 2022, says manager Jephy Joseph. “We had to stay shut during the pandemic as per regulations. So, this is a good time,” she explains.

Likewise, The Little Blue Window Hostel in BTM Layout saw 60 foreign check-ins in the past month and a half. “April looks good too,” shares owner Roshan Jadwani. He says Bengaluru is mostly a transit point for foreigners who plan to travel to Mysuru and Hampi in Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu.

Koramangala, Indiranagar and Church Street have become popular hubs for accommodation because of their proximity to pubs and restaurants, he says.

Last week, Metrolife spotted a woman from Belgium alighting from the train at the MG Road metro station. She said: “I have booked a hostel at Church Street. I have travelled through Jaipur, Haridwar and Delhi.”

A few days later, on a blistering afternoon, we saw an Italian discovering the central business district with his backpack and cap on. “The best way to travel is to get lost. I was at Commercial Street for two hours. There I learnt that Church Street is pedestrian friendly. So I am heading there,” said Andrea Armani, a Web 3 developer who was in the city for a conference.

An elderly Indian gent Metrolife met on the metro on Monday said he flew in from Australia and will tour Goa, Kochi, Hyderabad, Amritsar and other places over two months. “I found a direct flight from Sydney to Bengaluru,” he said, explaining why he landed here first. Last September, Australian airline Qantas launched a direct flight between Sydney and Bengaluru. This has also resulted in European travellers landing in Bengaluru to travel onward to Sydney.

Most foreign tourists come from European nations, Australia and Israel, Roshan has observed.

Hackerpacker, Koramangala, saw about five international bookings each in February and March. One would call it a low turnout but manager Rahul Ranjan says this is about 70% of their pre-pandemic footfall of foreign visitors. This points to a shift in India. Once foreign tourists were synonymous with these hostels, now locals or outstation Indians form the lion’s share, camping here for longer periods as digital nomads or on workcations.

At Be Animal, Koramangala, for instance, “70% Indians and 30% foreigners is typical”, informs Mukul Sankarshan, property manager. His hostel had two international visitors last week, he told Metrolife.

Foreigners stop by in Bengaluru to “go clubbing and touch base with modern life” after completing a spiritual tour across Kanyakumari and Madurai, and before heading on to their next spiritual retreat up north, Mukul observes.

Small World in Koramangala saw about 10 foreigners in February, turning up mostly in groups of two. The same numbers were seen in March. For owner Saurav Arya, this is a sign of going “back to normal”.

“However, my last seven to eight guests were working remotely. They were a mix of freelancers, lawyers and software developers,” he shares.