Spiritual tourism leading growth for Tier 2 & 3 cities in India; Ayodhya, Ujjain grow maximum, ET TravelWorld

Leading travel platform MakeMyTrip has unveiled its inaugural India Travel Trends Report, providing valuable insights into the evolving travel behaviours of Indian travellers. Drawing from data collected from over 100 million active users, the report sheds light on key trends shaping the travel landscape, including preferred destinations, booking patterns, and travel preferences.

Tier-2 and tier-3 cities are embracing spiritual journeys, with searches for destinations with or around religious spots growing 97 per cent in the last two years. Searches for Ayodhya grew by 585 per cent, Ujjain by 359 per cent and Badrinath by 343 per cent in 2023 as compared to 2022.

Number of people taking more than 3 trips per year has grown by 25 per cent in 2023 as compared to 2019. 30 per cent all international travel searches from India are for Dubai, Bangkok and Singapore while London, Toronto and New York are the most searched long-haul destinations. Searches for emerging international destinations grew by multi-fold in 2023 – hot favourites include Hong Kong, Almaty, Paro, Baku, Da Nang and Tbilisi.

Rajesh Magow, Co-founder and Group CEO, MakeMyTrip, emphasised the importance of understanding these trends to shape the future of tourism. He highlighted the report’s significance in bridging demand-supply gaps and creating tailored experiences for travellers, ultimately contributing to the growth of the tourism industry.

“Understanding the evolving travel behaviours of Indian travellers is essential to help shape the future of tourism, both domestically and globally. MakeMyTrip’s India Travel Trends Report highlights some the latest essential trends. As India emerges as a formidable force in the tourism sector, these insights can help bridge the demand and supply gaps in the travel and hospitality space. This means crafting policies, identifying destinations, and creating experiences that resonate with the traveller’s unique travel preferences and aspirations. Recognizing and catering to each traveller’s diverse behaviour will not only enhance travel experiences but also contribute significantly to the growth and development of the tourism industry,” he mentioned.

Key Insights from the Report:
Travel Patterns
– Family travel bookings surged by 64 per cent in 2023, followed by a 23 per cent growth in solo traveller bookings.
– Domestic flight preferences peak between 9 am and 6 pm, with 46 per cent of bookings made less than a week before travel.
– UPI emerged as the most preferred payment method for booking travel, accounting for nearly 40 per cent of transactions.

Accommodation Preferences
– Domestic leisure hotel bookings see a 56 per cent surge in last-minute bookings.
– Alternative accommodations like hostels and apartments witnessed a 24 per cent growth in bookings in 2023.
– Wedding gift cards for travel experiences are increasingly popular, with INR 5000 and 10000 denominations being the most gifted.

City-Specific Insights:
Delhi: Rishikesh and Amritsar are top-searched destinations, with a preference for flights between 12 PM and 6 PM.
Mumbai: Goa and Pune top the search charts, with a higher preference for villas in domestic hotel bookings.
Kolkata: Digha and Mandarmani lead in searches, with travelers booking flights well in advance.
Chennai: Madurai and Pondicherry are popular, with a preference for flights between 6 PM to 12 AM.
Bangalore: Mysore, Coorg, and Mangalore are sought-after, with a preference for flights between 12 AM – 6 AM.
Hyderabad: Vishakhapatnam and Tirupati top searches, with a penchant for flights between 6 AM and 3 PM.