HYDERABAD: Yes, `50,000. That’s what 31 percent of people are willing to spend on a trip, the preferred choice of accommodation remains budget hotels, which reveals that travellers are preferring experiences over comfort. The annual winter survey by Yatra.com, a leading online travel portal, revealed recently. Conducted amongst 1,592 respondents, out of which 43 percent who responded were Millennials.
In the survey conducted, it was found that 71 percent respondents are keen on travelling this winter season, building onto the festive travel trend. Travellers are also embarking on domestic travel for shorter, yet frequent trips as 66 percent respondents said that they are looking to travel for less than seven days. The data further suggests a hike in advance bookings with almost 38 percent respondents planning to make bookings one to three months prior to the travel date.
With a rapid increase in internet penetration, the Indian traveller is well versed with the latest technology. This is validated by 92 percent respondents who prefer to book online in comparison to only 8 percent who still look out for services from offline agents. While the hill stations continue to top the list of places to visit, there has been a notable rise in travel to beaches as well.
Another takeaway from the survey has been that 62 percent people prefer to book their flights and tickets separately over group or customised packages. There continues to be a large number of travelers, about 52 percent, that want to spend less than `2,500 per night on accommodation. The survey also revealed that people are willing to spend on authentic experiences that delve into the culture, history, and people.
Commenting on the findings from the survey, Sharat Dhall, COO (B2C), Yatra.com says, “The Indian traveller is not just constantly evolving but also seeking enriching and exploratory experiences. Holidaying has become more frequent and that’s a trend that has been confirmed by 46 percent travellers who are looking to travel two to four times a year. Contrary to the usual preference of international destinations in the winter, we have seen a number of travellers opting for domestic destinations this time around.”
This winter there has been a stark increase in families planning for holidays together with almost 40 percent opting for family vacation closely followed by preference of travelling with spouse/partner. The survey also finds that almost 61% Indians believe that the choice of possible activities is highly important.
Key Highlights:
More than 51% of the respondents prefer budget hotels, followed by 4/5 star hotels (28%) and homestays (11%)
The trend of advance booking is still on the rise with 38% booking their tickets 1-3 months in advance. 29% of the respondents said that they book tickets 15days – 1 month in advance
31% of the respondents are willing to spend above INR 50,000 on the holiday. 30% and 24% are willing to spend between INR 10,000 – 25, 000 and INR 25,000 – INR 50,000, respectively
67% of the respondents prefer using credit/ debit card while travelling. 28.5% said that cash is their preferred mode of payment while on the vacation.
On a lighter note, sunbathing, trekking & skiing have emerged as the favorite activities to indulge in during the vacation, whereas scarves and boots are the ‘must have’ accessories for the winter travel
Top Destinations- Domestic
Goa Manali Circuit- Manali, Kullu, Kasol, Rohtang etc Andaman & Lakshwadeep Islands Kashmir or other hill destinations
Top Destinations-
International
Dubai Thailand/ Singapore/ Malaysia UK