Survey Indicates Where, How, When, and Who Travels in India
Indian tourists, ranging from backpackers to bon vivants and all points in between, are not only changing the landscape of domestic travel but also playing a bigger and bigger part in the sphere of international travel, making the world more accessible than ever.
In its first India Travel Trends Report, MakeMyTrip has compiled a list of some of the most popular travel behaviors among Indians, based on information gathered from its 100 million+ yearly active users’ travel searches. Where, when, and how India travels are among the insights, along with the most popular travel patterns from millions of visits, both nationally and regionally.
“Understanding the evolving travel behaviors of Indian travelers is essential to helping shape the future of tourism, both domestically and globally,” said Rajesh Magow, co-founder and group CEO of MakeMyTrip. The most important recent developments are highlighted in MakeMyTrip’s India Travel Developments Report.
With India growing as a major player in the travel and tourism industry, these insights may assist in closing the gaps between supply and demand in the travel and hospitality sectors. This entails developing guidelines, selecting locations, and producing experiences that speak to each traveler’s particular interests and goals. Acknowledging and accommodating the varied behaviors of each traveler would not only improve travel experiences but also make a substantial contribution to the expansion and advancement of the tourism sector.
The following are a few of the report’s key insights:
Where does India go?
• From 2019 to 2023, the number of people making more than three journeys annually increased by 25%.
• Cities in Tiers 2 and 3 are welcoming spiritual travelers; in the last two years, searches for locations including or close to places of worship have increased 97%.
• Compared to 2022, searches for Ayodhya increased by 585%, Ujjain by 359%, and Badrinath by 343% in 2023.
• Indian travelers continue to choose weekend trips; searches for Jim Corbett increased by 131% in 2023 compared to 2022; other popular destinations in this regard include Ooty and Munnar.
• The most popular long-haul destinations from India are London, Toronto, and New York, accounting for 30% of all searches for international travel to Dubai, Bangkok, and Singapore.
• In 2023, searches for up-and-coming foreign locations increased tenfold; popular choices included Hong Kong, Almaty, Paro, Baku, Da Nang, and Tbilisi.
WHEN, HOW, AND WITH WHOM INDIA TRAVELS
• Family vs. Solo: During the same comparison time, reservations for travel by families increased by 64% in 2023 compared to 2022, while bookings for travel by individuals increased by 23%.
• Preferences for booking flights:
· 50% of all domestic travelers choose flights that depart or arrive between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m.
o A large percentage of reservations for travel in India are made on the spur of the moment; 46% of domestic flights are booked less than a week in advance of the intended departure date. On the other hand, reservations for travel abroad are often made at least two weeks in advance.
o Only one-third of foreign reservations are made more than a month in advance of the trip, indicating that Indian travelers have a flexible attitude to overseas travel preparation.
o Men choose aisle seats, while women prefer to reserve window seats in advance.
o On domestic flights, the most popular in-flight food is the tomato, cucumber, and cheese lettuce sandwich.
• Preferences for reserving lodging –
o Less than a week is left until the departure date for 56% of domestic leisure hotel reservations placed on the site.
o 33% of reservations for hotels abroad are booked at least 30 days in advance of the departure date.
· Bookings for alternative lodging on the site increased by 24% in 2023.
o Less than INR 2,500 per night is preferred for hostels and apartments; nevertheless, this amount is more for villas.
o Approximately 20% of family vacationers looked for lodging that cost more above INR 10,000 per night.
• Payment Preference – With over 40% of all transaction types using UPI, credit card usage is the second most popular payment method for booking travel. The most popular payment method for high-value purchases, including purchasing flights and accommodations abroad, is credit card. This is explained by the advantages of using a credit card for payments.
• The gift of travel: INR 5000 and INR 10,000 wedding gift cards are the most popular. One of every two travel gift cards bought is being given as a wedding shagun.
ANNEXURE: Insights particular to cities
A GLANCE AT DELHI-SPECIFIC INSIGHTS
Amritsar and Rishikesh are among the most sought-after locations.
Travelers like flights that depart between 12 and 6 p.m.
– Passengers who made excessive reservations for domestic flights less than a week before their departure
Travelers who are going abroad exhibit a greater desire to reserve meals in advance.
– States in the north are more likely to choose hostels
Nearly half of all domestic travelers reserve a lodging that includes a substantial supper and breakfast.
SUMMARY OF MUMBAI-SPECIFIC INSIGHTS
Goa and Pune are among the most sought-after locations.
Travelers like flights that depart between 12 and 6 p.m.
Travelers who are going abroad exhibit a greater desire to reserve meals in advance.
Maharashtra is the state where domestic hotel searches are most common overall, with villas being the most popular choice.
Over 50% of domestic hotel guests reserve rooms with breakfast, whereas foreign guests choose room service exclusively.
A SNEAK PEEK AT KOLKATA-SPECIFIC INSIGHTS
Digha and Mandarmani are among the most sought-after locations.
It is more common for travelers to book flights more than three months in advance, for both domestic and international travel.
– Domestic travelers are more likely to reserve food for in-flight consumption.
– States in the east are more likely to favor hotels
About half of travelers prefer to reserve rooms only at domestic hotels.
60% of foreign travelers choose accommodations that include breakfast.
A GLANCE AT CHENNAI-SPECIFIC INSIGHTS
Madurai and Pondicherry are among the most sought-after travel destinations.
Aircraft preference is for flights between 6 PM to 12 AM.
– Passengers who book overseas flights more than 30 days in advance are overindexed
Most actively, passengers choose their seats in advance for both local and international flights.
– Domestic travelers are more likely to reserve food for in-flight consumption.
– States in the South are more likely to favor alternate lodging
– Maximum priority for reservations made only for rooms at foreign hotels
A SNEAK PEEK AT BANGALORE-SPECIFIC INSIGHTS
Mysore, Coorg, and Mangalore are among the most sought-after locations.
Travelers like flights that depart between 12 and 6 a.m.
For foreign flights, passengers most actively choose their seats in advance.
– Domestic travelers are more likely to reserve food for in-flight consumption.
Villas are more popular in Bangalore when people are going domestically.
HYDERABAD-PARTICULAR INSIGHTS SYNOPSIS
Tirupati and Vishakhapatnam are among the most sought-after locations.
Passengers’ preferred flying times are from 6 AM to 3 PM.
– Passengers overbooked domestic flights 30 days in advance of departure and overseas flights in less than a week.
– For domestic flights, passengers most actively choose their seats in advance
– States in the South are more likely to favor alternate lodging
About 50% of domestic travelers would rather stay in a room alone.
