Travelers Take More Trips, Seek Spiritual Journeys, Embrace Family Vacations
Gurugram, April 22, 2024 – MakeMyTrip, India’s leading online travel company, released its first-ever India Travel Trends Report, diving deep into how, where, and with whom Indians travel. The report analyzes data from over 100 million users, revealing fascinating insights into the evolving travel landscape.
Key Findings:
- Indians are traveling more: The number of people taking more than three trips a year has jumped 25% since 2019.
- Spiritual sojourns surge: Tier 2 and 3 cities are driving a rise in spiritual tourism, with searches for religious destinations like Ayodhya (up 585%), Ujjain (up 359%), and Badrinath (up 343%) soaring in the past year.
- Weekend getaways reign supreme: Short escapes remain popular, with Jim Corbett National Park witnessing a 131% search increase in 2023 compared to 2022. Ooty and Munnar are other favorite weekend destinations.
- Global ambitions: Dubai, Bangkok, and Singapore top the list for international searches, while London, Toronto, and New York hold the crown for long-haul travel. Interestingly, searches for emerging destinations like Hong Kong, Almaty, Paro, Baku, Da Nang, and Tbilisi are multiplying.
- Family first: Family travel bookings surged by 64% in 2023 compared to 2022, reflecting a growing preference for creating memories together. Solo travel also witnessed a healthy 23% growth.
- Spontaneous explorers: Nearly half of all domestic flights (46%) are booked within a week of departure, showcasing a love for last-minute adventures. However, international planning seems more structured, with half of the bookings made at least two weeks in advance.
- Window vs. Aisle: Women tend to favor pre-booking window seats, while men prefer aisle seats.
- In-flight meals: The Tomato Cucumber Cheese Lettuce Sandwich reigns supreme on domestic flights!
- Accommodation on-the-go: Over half (56%) of domestic leisure hotel bookings happen less than a week before travel. For international stays, planning seems further ahead, with a third of bookings made over 30 days in advance.
- Alternative stays gain traction: Bookings for homestays, apartments, and hostels grew by 24% in 2023. While budget-friendly options are preferred for hostels and apartments (under INR 2,500 per night), travelers are willing to splurge on villas.
- Luxury for families: Nearly 20% of family travelers search for properties exceeding INR 10,000 per night.
- Digital payments preferred: UPI emerges as the top payment choice for travel bookings, accounting for nearly 40% of transactions. Credit cards remain dominant for high-value international bookings due to associated benefits.
- The gift of travel: Travel gift cards are popular wedding presents, with denominations of INR 5,000 and INR 10,000 being the most gifted. Notably, half of all travel gift cards are purchased for weddings.
Looking ahead, MakeMyTrip believes these insights will be instrumental in shaping the future of travel in India, allowing businesses to cater to evolving traveler preferences and aspirations.
