Cyberattacks surge amid India’s holiday booking rush

Cybercriminals are heavily targeting India’s travel and hospitality sector to exploit the holiday booking rush, with organisations facing significantly more cyberattacks than the global average, according to a report.

Indian organisations faced an average of 3,296 cyberattacks per week over the past six months, compared to the global average of 2,085, the report by Check Point Research said.

The hospitality, travel, and recreation sector recorded 2,291 average weekly attacks per organisation in May 2026, marking a 24 per cent year-on-year increase. In contrast, the global year-over-year rise across all industries was merely 2 per cent.

“This is not a general uptick in cybercrime that happens to touch travel.  It is a deliberate, seasonal intensification targeting an industry that processes enormous volumes of personal and financial data precisely when people are distracted, rushing, and eager to secure a good deal.

“The risks are amplified in India, where 86 per cent of malicious files observed in the last month were delivered via the web. This underscores how fake travel websites, fraudulent booking portals, and malicious online advertisements have become some of the most effective tools for cybercriminals targeting travellers,” the Check Point report said.

In May 2026 alone, 47,318 new travel — related domains were registered, a 33 per cent increase from April and 19 per cent higher than May 2025. The report noted that one in every 112 of these domains is already classified as malicious or suspicious, with many remaining dormant until they are activated to exploit peak travel web traffic.

Threat actors are actively impersonating trusted online travel booking platforms. Check Point identified active phishing campaigns using fake domains mimicking Booking.com, Airbnb, and Skyscanner, alongside bulk-registration campaigns impersonating brands like American Express and Lloyds Travel Choice.