Indian travelers planning earlier and spending more on experiences
● Confirmed December flight bookings are tracking 20–25% higher YoY, signaling a strong consumer rebound
● The average booking window has extended to 23–25 days, 10–15% higher than last year, as travelers plan ahead for peak dates
● Searches for adventure and cultural experiences are up 24% YoY, indicating a shift toward experience-led travel
Ebix Travel – Delphi World Money, a RBI-authorised Category II Authorised Dealer with a strong legacy in foreign exchange and cross-border remittances, has released year-end travel trend outlook. The trends indicate a resurgence in consumer confidence, supported by a steady rise in spending on leisure travel. It reflects how travelers are planning earlier, exploring experience-led holidays, and allocating higher budgets for year-end getaways, indicating a strong and optimistic close to the travel calendar year.
With December flight bookings, currently tracking 20–25% higher year-on-year, pointing to a strong and resilient year-end travel season. The data reveals that Indian travelers are planning earlier and spending more on memorable experiences. The average booking lead time for festive travel has risen by 10–15%, extending to approximately 23–25 days this year. This early planning mindset reflects a desire to secure better pricing, especially around the highly sought-after holiday window between December 24 and January 2.
Commenting on the trends, Ankur Sharmaa, Chief Business Officer at Ebix Travel – Delphi World Money said: “The surge in advance travel planning and experience-focused spending reflects a distinct shift in consumer confidence and travel behavior. Indian travelers are approaching the year-end season with purposeful intent to make their holidays count. We are seeing stronger demand across air travel and destination activities, driven by a renewed focus on quality experiences and culturally rich destinations.”
Experience-led itineraries are emerging as a major trend. Searches for in-destination activities, such as adventure trails, cultural tours, and local explorations, have risen by 24% compared to last year, highlighting the evolution of leisure preferences from simple hotel stays to immersive travel. Travel preferences are reshaping the domestic landscape, with bookings for destinations in Rajasthan (Jaipur–Udaipur) and Kerala have soared by 35% year-on-year, outpacing Goa’s 15% growth rate. This strong momentum reflects a shift in demand toward domestic holiday destinations across the West and South. In contrast, northern leisure circuits, especially the Kashmir region have seen a 15% decline.
Meanwhile, the appetite for seasonal winter getaways remains robust, with flight searches to alternative mountain destinations such as Manali and Himachal Pradesh up by 40% year-on-year, compared to a 25–30% increase for coastal destinations. This underscores a balanced but evolving seasonal demand pattern, where travelers still seek the winter experience while favoring destinations known for accessibility and reliability.
These trends underscore a year-end travel season defined by early planning, experience-led intent, and a clear pivot towards culturally rich destinations while reinforcing Delphi–Ebix Travel’s role in enabling seamless, customer-focused holiday experiences.
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