UAE, Thailand, and US remain top choices for Indian travellers: MakeMyTrip
Popular destinations such as the UAE, Thailand, and the US continue to be favoured by Indian travellers
The number of Indians traveling abroad twice or more in a year has increased by 32%, according to a report released on Tuesday.
Popular destinations like the UAE, Thailand, and the US remain top choices for Indian travellers, while emerging spots like Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, and Bhutan are gaining popularity.
Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Delhi lead the charts for international travel searches, as per the 'How India Travels Abroad' Report by travel booking platform MakeMyTrip. The report covered the period between June 2023 and May 2024.
December most active month
A key finding from the report suggests that international travel search volumes remain relatively steady across all seasons, with December being the most active month for international travel searches.
Rajesh Magow, Co-founder and Group CEO, MakeMyTrip, said, "With rising disposable incomes, greater exposure to global cultures, and the increasing ease of travel, more Indians are exploring both domestic and international destinations for leisure as well as business." "While domestic tourism remains buoyant, as noted in our previous report, our latest findings highlight the notable changes in international travel behaviour driven by macroeconomic factors that are fuelling the surge in travel among Indians," he said.
According to the report, there has been a 70 per cent increase in the combined search volume for the top 10 emerging destinations.
Phenomenal growth rates
Almaty and Baku have seen phenomenal growth rates of 527 per cent and 395 per cent, respectively.
Moreover, interest in luxury travel is rising among Indians, with a 10 per cent growth in searches for business class flights in the international segment.
Hong Kong shows the highest growth with a 131 per cent increase in searches followed by Sri Lanka, Japan, Saudi Arabia, and Malaysia.
Notably, nearly half of the international hotel bookings fall in the above Rs 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.
(With agency inputs)