A travel trend report reveals that one in every third Indian is planning to go on a vacation in the year’s last holiday season
As the world gears up to welcome the New Year with hope, optimism and renewed vigour, one in every three Indian is planning to travel and take a holiday during the forthcoming Christmas and New Year season. A recent survey conducted by a travel company, Goibibo indicates that 60 per cent respondents are willing to travel during the winter holiday season and spend the vacationing in the hills or by the beach. Among the surveyed, more than 70 per cent are hoping to relax and celebrate this season with their family or partner while the rest are looking to end the year travelling with friends and long-not-met colleagues.
While travellers are equally split between beaches and mountains as holiday destination choice in India, they concur that the destination has to bring them closer to nature and be scenic, more than anything else. It is to note that nearly 70 per cent respondents want to spend time outdoors, soaking in the sights or doing adventure activities like rafting, hiking, water sport or just sightseeing. Only 20 per cent are looking to wrap the year at bars or parties.
Commenting on the travel trends, Rajesh Magow, Co-Founder & Group CEO, MakeMyTrip Limited, goibibo shared, “Pent-up wanderlust is real and these survey findings reflect that Indians are finding new ways to fulfill their travel aspirations and are confidently stepping forward when assured of safe travel choices. Over the past few months, we have worked closely and creatively with the entire travel and hospitality value chain to raise safety standards and help customers make the journey from being homebound to being travellers again. Bookings for the winter festive holiday season on our site indicate an increase in travel to domestic leisure destinations including Goa, Lonavala, Mahabaleshwar, Pondicherry, Coorg, Shimla, Manali and Darjeeling. As we step into 2021, we are confident of a continued upward travel trend that will find more force as mass vaccine rollout plan materialises.”
The survey conducted among 2000+ respondents between November 15 to December 5 further indicates some trends:
Long distance leisure travel makes a comeback
The trends indicate that the season will witness leisure travellers booking a trip for two or more days. Among them, 50 per cent are willing to opt for air travel signaling a boost in passenger confidence and trust in hopping on to a flight post-pandemic. With flight holidays in equal consideration as drive-through holidays, the preference to air travel can also be attributed to the mini-road trips undertaken by people since unlock was announced in July.
Relax and unwind
More than 80 per cent respondents are looking for on-premise engagement activities. Findings reveal that almost 50 per cent of the surveyed are keen on opting for properties that offer bonfire, barbeque options and a private party place options on Christmas and New Year’s Eve; and 37 per cent are looking for in-house dining options that serve a variety of local delicacies allowing travellers to indulge in local delicacies of the destination.
Prioritise safety
As safety remains paramount, survey responders gave highest preference to sanitisation, hygiene and safety certification in their order of priority while choosing their stay option. 90 per cent respondents are willing to spend more on safety, hygiene and sanitisation facilities during their stay. Some of the parameters that travellers are actively considering while booking a hotel include availability of sanitised and trained staff with protective gears (46 per cent), regular deep cleaning and sanitisation of rooms (46 per cent) and COVID free certified hotels (41 per cent) among others. Additionally, as people now spend more time weighing various travel parameters before firming up their travel plans they are looking for easy and flexible booking options with 86 per cent opting for fully refundable air tickets and hotel vouchers for their next travel booking.
It is the perfect time to get ready for the post-pandemic blow. Beach bars, cocktails, adventure and new experiences will certainly make you feel that the lockdown days and isolation is far away.