Skyscanner Released Its Travel In Focus Report

Delhi: Skyscanner, the worldwide travel marketplace, has recently published its Travel in Focus Report, which shares that cost-conscious travellers in India are embracing travel opportunities with a flexible approach to secure more economical gateways. Drawing insights from Skyscanner’s proprietary search and booking data, as well as a study of consumer behaviour, this report sheds light on the travel trends and behaviours in India.

The report’s data emphasises that Indians are savvy and adaptable travellers, with 47% flexible to switch their itineraries if they find better travel deals.  When it comes to international vacations, 35% of Indians choose to travel to destinations that offer more affordable travel options and 33% are open to travel at a different time of the year. Interestingly, in spite of the fact that Indian travellers are big planners, with 72% preferring through trip planning, Indians are still keen on finding the perfect balance between travel experiences and value for their holidays

Mohit Joshi, Skyscanner Travel Trends and Destination Expert commented: “While

the way we travel has no doubt changed in the last few years, the desire for a getaway is still very much there. Skyscanner makes it possible for travellers to explore the world within their budget, with its cross-market comparison and transparency of prices on its platform. An easy hack to hit that sweet spot, is to

use our ‘Everywhere’ search tool, where destinations are recommended based on the traveller’s location, ranked by price. That way you get to explore, without breaking the bank.”

Other key survey findings:

Cricket Enthusiasm: Cricket holds a significant place in the hearts of Indians, as around 75% of respondents express their willingness to increase their travel budget to attend live cricket matches. With the upcoming 2023 Cricket World Cup set to take place in India, there has been a noteworthy 46% surge in searches within India for flights to Ahmedabad, one of the host cities, for October of this year. Despite the high demand, Skyscanner’s data indicates that flight prices from Mumbai to Ahmedabad are 36% lower for June 2023 compared to the same period in June 2022.

Slow Travelling Gurus: In 2023, Indian travellers are embracing slow travel, with a higher percentage (46%) opting for more immersive experiences rather than fast-paced travel (40%). Instead of rushing to cover numerous destinations, travellers are looking to spend more time in a single destination, taking their time to immerse themselves in the local culture. Skyscanner’s data reveals that over 38% of Indian travellers spend longer than 1 month on a single-destination trip, including both domestic and international destinations. This is notably higher compared to travellers from Singapore (3%) and South Korea (8%) based on redirect data for the year 2023.

Purposeful Voyagers:  Modern travellers are seeking meaningful journeys, focusing their travel experiences around specific activities. Over half of Indians (55%) are planning purpose-related travel in India to engage in activities such as scuba diving, golf, yoga, or wellness retreats. Additionally, one in two Indians are actively preparing to visit holy places in the coming six months.