Indian Travellers Redefine Tourism: Insights from MakeMyTrip’s Travel Trends Report

Press Release (ePRNews.com) - Apr 22, 2024 - Indian travellers are not just exploring domestic destinations but are also venturing into international territories, shaping the tourism landscape globally. Drawing from the travel searches of its 100M+ annual active users, MakeMyTrip has released the inaugural edition of its India Travel Trends Report, shedding light on the diverse behaviours and preferences of Indian travellers.

Rajesh Magow, Co-founder and Group CEO of MakeMyTrip, emphasized the significance of understanding the evolving travel behaviours of Indian travellers in shaping the future of tourism. He highlighted that these insights could bridge the gap between demand and supply in the travel and hospitality industry, guiding policies, identifying destinations, and creating experiences that resonate with travellers’ preferences.

Key Insights from the Report:

WHERE INDIA TRAVELS:

• A 25% increase in the number of people taking more than three trips per year was observed in 2023 compared to 2019.
• Tier-2 and tier-3 cities are showing a growing interest in spiritual journeys, with searches for destinations around religious spots surging by 97% in the last two years.
• Weekend getaways remain popular, with destinations like Jim Corbett witnessing a 131% surge in searches in 2023 compared to 2022.

WHEN, WITH WHOM, AND HOW INDIA TRAVELS:

• Family travel bookings surged by 64% in 2023 compared to 2022, followed by a 23% growth in solo traveller bookings.
• Flight bookings between 9 am and 6 pm are preferred by 50% of all domestic flyers.
• Around 46% of domestic flights are booked less than a week before the travel date, indicating spontaneous travel planning.
• Women prefer pre-booking window seats, while men opt for aisle seats.
• UPI emerges as the most preferred payment method, constituting close to 40% of all transaction types.

ACCOMMODATION BOOKING PREFERENCES:

• 56% of domestic leisure hotel bookings are made less than a week before the day of travel.
• Alternative accommodations witnessed a 24% growth in bookings in 2023.
• Wedding gift cards in denominations of INR 5000 and 10000 are the most gifted, with 1 out of 2 travel gift cards being purchased as wedding shagun.

The India Travel Trends Report provides valuable insights into the evolving travel landscape, guiding stakeholders in the tourism industry to cater to the diverse needs and preferences of Indian travellers.