“This year’s travel trends data reveals a growing appetite for short breaks, with 65% of Indian travellers seeking a short domestic trip and nearly half (44%) interested in a short international escapes, both within a 4-night framework. The surge in searches for both domestic and short-haul destinations during August’s long weekends reflects this trend,” said Santosh Kumar, Country Manager for India, Sri Lanka, Maldives and Indonesia at Booking.com.
As the countdown to August’s long weekends begins, Indian travellers are eager to pack their bags and embark on exciting mini-adventures. Booking.com, one of the world’s leading digital travel companies, shared insights on the continued interest of Indians to take advantage of Independence Day (August 15) Raksha Bandhan (August 19) and Janmashtami (August 26) holidays.
The report reveals that Udaipur tops the list in domestic destination being preferred by the Indians, while Dubai topped the chart in international picks.
The report also said that by leveraging the extended holidays, Indians are seeking a blend of relaxation and exploration. Bustling metros continue to be popular choices with Bengaluru, Mumbai and Delhi topping the list, as travellers look at going back home to enjoy the long weekend or combine work and leisure. For those seeking a change of scenery, leisure destinations within drivable distance like Lonavala, Ooty, Mahabaleshwar are on top of mind for travellers. Cultural and spiritual hotspots like Udaipur, Jaipur, Varanasi and Puri are also witnessing a surge in searches during this time.
Top 10 most searched domestic getaways during the long weekends in August are Udaipur, Lonavala, Jaipur, Ooty, Kodaikanal, Munnar, Goa, Mahabaleshwar, Varanasi and Puri. Top five most searched metros in India during the long weekends in August are Bengaluru, Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai and Hyderabad, as per the research report.
As Indians seek quick getaways, short-haul international destinations are also gaining popularity. With visa-friendly policies and increased flight connectivity, exploring these destinations has become easier than ever. While Dubai with its luxury offerings tops the list of the most popular international destinations, the allure of Southeast Asia is also captivating Indians with destinations like Singapore, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Bali and Phuket on the travel bucket list.
Top searched international destinations ranked for these long weekends are, Dubai, Singapore, London, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Bali, Paris, Phuket, Abu Dhabi and Tokyo.
Santosh Kumar, Country Manager for India, Sri Lanka, Maldives and Indonesia at Booking.com said, “This year’s travel trends data reveals a growing appetite for short breaks, with 65% of Indian travellers seeking a short domestic trip and nearly half (44%) interested in a short international escape, both within a 4-night framework. The surge in searches for both domestic and short-haul destinations during August’s long weekends reflects this trend. While popular tourist hotspots remain attractive, we are also seeing rising interest in some destinations such as Hampi, Madikeri, Ujjain and Gokarna. Booking.com is committed to empowering travellers to make the most of their limited time off by streamlining the travel experience and offering a wide selection of options to suit their needs and preferences.”
