How Indians travel decoded: Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Bhutan new favorites

By Dr Sanjeev Dev Malik On Sep 4, 2024

How Indians travel decoded: Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Bhutan new favorites

Destinations such as the UAE, Thailand, and the USA top the chart that Indians love to travel to, with Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, and Bhutan leading the emerging destinations chart, according to the latest report by MakeMyTrip.

‘Student Destination of the Year’ award goes to UK

United Kingdom was the most travelled to destination for students, followed by Australia & Germany. Maximum students travelled from Maharashtra, Karnataka & Tamil Nadu.

Maharashtra, Karnataka & Delhi lead the charts for international destination searches

While UAE & Thailand are the most searched destinations from each state, the 3rd most searched country changes for each state.

Some key highlights from the report are:

Wanderlust Boom:More Indians are taking trips to international destinations, with a 32% growth in people taking 2 or more trips in a year. The top ten most searched countries remain the same as 2023, contributing to 64% of all international searches on the platform. Maharashtra, Karnataka and Delhi lead the charts for international travel searches. UK, Australia and Germany are the most popular student destinations.

Emerging Hotspots –There has been a 70% increase in the combined search volume for the top 10 emerging destinations. Almaty and Baku have seen phenomenal growth rates of 527% and 395%, respectively. The overall contribution of searches for emerging destinations on our platform has increased from 10% to 14%, indicating that Indians are exploring newer global destinations.

Emerging International destinations that have been added to Indian traveller’s bucket list : These 10 emerging destinations have witnessed 70% growth in combined search volume

Almaty, Baku & Hong Kong have grown the maximum in searches amongst emerging destinations. Colombo, Kuala Lumpur, Kathmandu & Bali are being considered for trips with a renewed vigour. Combined contribution of these emerging destinations has gone up from 10% to 14% over the last year .

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Business Class not just for Business – Interest in luxury travel is rising among Indians, with a 10% growth in searches for business class flights in the international segment. Hong Kong shows the highest growth with a 131% increase in searches followed by Sri Lanka, Japan, Saudi Arabia, and Malaysia.

Luxury vs. Budget: Indian Travelers’ Hotel Choices – While Indians are on the lookout for pocket friendly experiences, close to 50% of international hotel bookings fall in the above INR 7,000 per night tariff bracket. With New York being the most expensive place to book a hotel, South Asian destinations such as Pokhara, Pattaya, and Kuala Lumpur emerge as the top destinations for budget-friendly stay options.

Travellers from Karnataka, Telangana, Maharashtra, Delhi and Haryana spend the most on premium hotel bookings

In contrast, travellers from Punjab, West Bengal, Gujarat, and Tamil Nadu show a higher preference for budget hotels

Homestays and Villas on the Rise – Searches for homestays and villas have surged by 42%. Bali, Dubai and Singapore make for the highest share of searches for homestays and villas, while cities like Interlaken, Kuala Lumpur, Paris, Amsterdam, and Rome are also leading this trend, showing maximum growth in search volumes.

Jet-set for Leisure – Fifty-five percent of all trips to international destinations are for leisure, followed by 33% for VFR (visiting friends and relatives). Thailand is the most favourite leisure destination for Indians. An impressive 44% of international travellers from West Bengal chose Thailand as the overseas destination. The UAE, Europe, Indonesia, Singapore and Vietnam are the other top leisure destinations for Indian travellers.

Urban Nightlife Dominates– More than one-third of Indians prefer urban destinations with a vibrant nightlife. Travellers from West Bengal and Punjab make up the largest share of those seeking urban nightlife. Bangkok, Pattaya, Kuala Lumpur, Abu Dhabi, and Ho Chi Minh City are the top five destinations for travellers seeking vibrant urban nightlife. Additionally, 23% of Indians also have a proclivity towards shopping and luxury, with Dubai and Singapore being the top favourites.

Love for flexibility, assurance, and extra baggage – Japan, Europe, the USA, and South Korea are the top destinations where Indians opted for Zero Cancellation for flight bookings. The UAE, Thailand, Europe, and the USA, on the other hand, had the highest share of travellers purchasing travel insurance. Indians also have a preference for additional baggage – travellers from Rajasthan booked the most extra baggage, followed by those from Tamil Nadu and West Bengal. Additionally, Europe, the UAE, Singapore, and the USA, saw the highest share of travellers opting for Visa Rejection Full Refund.

Impulsive Travel Trend – Close to 50% of international flights and 56% of international hotel rooms are booked less than 14 days before the travel date. Oman, Nepal and UAE have the highest last minute flight bookings, while Qatar, Oman and Azerbaijan lead in last minute hotel bookings. European cities, on the other hand, have longest Advance Purchase (AP) windows.