Local travel no 1 choice! Indians prefer familiar destinations, holidaying with pets, shows new survey

Domestic travel surges! A new survey shows that nostalgia and familiar experiences entice Indian travellers, just as they now look to travelling with their furry friends, yes – their much loved pets! Booking.com has shared insights from its latest survey, which shows some interesting travel trends. A notable trend is that Indians prefer to travel to familiar places now. Clearly, safety and familiarity are becoming top priority for travellers.

According to Booking.com’s South Asia Regional Manager, Ritu Mehrotra, “Staying close to home, becoming familiarists instead of tourists” and “Travelling like a local” are key trends for Indian travellers. Placing emphasis on how travel plays a ‘fundamental’ and ‘enduring role’ in our lives, Ritu Mehrotra highlights the growing relevance of travel for Indians.

According to Booking.com, these are the top travel trends of 2020 for Indian travellers:

Domestic travel is no 1 choice

The Booking.com Future of Travel research insights show that 49% of Indian travellers plan to visit new domestic destinations. Another 52% Indian travellers still intend to travel in 7 to 12 months’ time. About 41 % plan to do so over a year’s time. Interestingly, the top trending destinations for the month of February are Srinagar, Digha, Manali, Goa and Alibaug.

Staycations to nearby destinations a preferred choice

About 50% Indian travellers are keen to appreciate the country’s scenic and natural beauty, whereas 57% Indian travellers intend to travel somewhere they have already been to earlier.

Holidaying with pets

Indians love their furry friends and traveling with them is fast becoming a trend as indicated by Booking.com’s ‘pet-friendly’ filter. This is a trend that is set to gain momentum as longer periods of staycations or workcations are currently feasible as hybrid working styles are now a reality across most sectors.

Road trips

From flight hopping to road trips, the pandemic has made ’round-the-corner’ locations more tempting than far flung, unexplored destinations. Gone are the days when people looked forward to long destinations. Currently, the top travel rend is to opt for road trips with family or friends and rediscover many forgotten ‘local’ gems in the context of travel and family vacations.

International travel not on priority

While Indians are not keen on international travel, only 25% of Indian travellers intend to opt for global travel by the end of the year as compared to 12% last year. Clearly, the pandemic has forced Indian travellers to prioritise their safety over their love for exploring global destinations.