7 Top Travel Trends to Explore This Festive Season in India

India's Travel Scene Gears Up for a Festive Frenzy
With the highly anticipated festive season just around the corner, India’s travel aspirations are set to peak. As we immerse ourselves in the celebrations of Ganesh Chaturthi and eagerly await other major festivals such as Dusshera and Diwali, it's evident that leisure travel is on the rise. While the term “pent-up demand” was expected to be short-lived post-COVID, the appetite for travel has not diminished even in 2023. Demand is clearly on the rise, and it's safe to replace “pent-up demand” with “new demand.” What the travel industry is witnessing is the new demand and new normal, which has become the baseline for the festive season.

Embracing Unique Experiences
Experiential Travel Continues to Thrive

 

Karthick Prabu, Head of Strategy at Cleartrip, based on recent data from Cleartrip’s insights, shared with HT Lifestyle, highlights some key travel trends that are likely to shape the festive fervor this season.

1. Experiential Travel Takes Center Stage
Experiential travel will continue to have a stronghold on travelers' bucket lists. The desire for unique and memorable experiences has become the mainstay, especially after the muted pandemic period.

2. Rising Flight Costs, But Booking Enthusiasm Persists
In 2023, the average domestic flight price for this holiday season is about INR 6000, marking a 6% increase compared to the same period in 2022. However, irrespective of the price increase, ticket bookings are on the rise.

3. Goa: The New Top Travel Destination
This holiday season, Goa has replaced Jaisalmer as the top travel destination in India, followed by Udaipur, Jaipur, Munnar, and Lucknow. Interestingly, except for Goa, none of these destinations were in the top 5 domestic destinations for the last holiday season.

4. Pattaya Tops International Destinations
With respect to international destinations, Pattaya has taken the top spot for this holiday season, followed by Dubai, Singapore, Bangkok, and Hanoi. In 2022, Singapore was the top travel destination. Hanoi, a city with a rich cultural heritage in Vietnam, has made it to the top 5 travel destinations for Indians.

5. Short-Haul vs. Long-Haul
Short-haul international travel destinations continue to rule the roost for Indian travelers. However, solo female travelers have two long-haul destinations - London and Toronto - in the top 5 international destinations. Dubai was the top international destination for solo female travelers last year as well.

6. Advanced Booking Trends
Another clear trend that has emerged is the shortening of the advance booking window for both domestic and international hotel bookings. On average, the booking window has shrunk by 10-15% compared to last year's holiday season. However, for flight bookings, there is no change in the advance booking window.

7. Extended Holiday Getaways
When it comes to domestic hotel bookings, people are extending their holiday duration by 30% compared to the same period last year. It’s clear that travel has taken paramount importance among Indian travelers.

The upcoming festive season appears to be promising for the industry, reflecting a heightened demand for travel and vacations from October to December.