As the year-end holiday season gathers pace, fresh data from booking platforms shows demand rising sharply but the bigger shift is in behaviour. Indian travellers are planning earlier, booking later, spending more selectively, and widening their destination choices beyond the usual favourites.
According to ixigo and AbhiBus, international flight bookings for December are up 40–45% year-on-year, while domestic flight searches rose 45–50% month-on-month. Bus searches crossed 100% year-on-year, underlining how travel demand is spilling beyond air routes. Cooler destinations are leading the surge. Srinagar recorded over 100% month-on-month growth in December flight searches, followed by Dehradun at 54% and Jammu at 39%. Bus searches to Mussoorie, Manali and Dehradun also grew over 100% year-on-year, making mountains nearly five times more in demand than beaches this winter.
That said, coastal and city breaks continue to hold steady. Goa remains among the top choices, with flight searches up 67% month-on-month in December, while Port Blair, Udaipur and Jaipur also saw consistent growth. Spiritual travel is another strong pillar this season, with flight bookings to Varanasi, Tirupati and Ayodhya rising 25–30% year-on-year, and bus searches to temple towns jumping over 50%.
According to Pickyourtrail’s 2025 consumer insights, about 53% of Indian travellers booked vacations well in advance, with 28% booking 60–90 days ahead and another 25% booking over 90 days before departure. Planning began even earlier, with 59% starting their travel planning more than two months in advance.
“What we are seeing now is a clear shift towards crafted holiday experiences. Indian travellers are planning their finances better so they don’t have to compromise on travel, and are investing deeply in moments that matter to them,” said Hari Ganapathy, co-founder and CEO of Pickyourtrail.
Internationally, Indian travellers are looking beyond just Southeast Asia staples. While Bali clocked over 100% year-on-year growth in bookings and Sri Lanka rose 63%, destinations across Central Asia and the Middle East are seeing sharp traction. Almaty, the UAE and Uzbekistan each grew 40–42% year-on-year, followed by Qatar and Oman.
Visa platform Atlys echoed this shift, reporting Sri Lanka as the fastest-growing winter destination, with demand up five times compared to last year. South Africa and Oman grew 2.9x and 2.6x, while Georgia, Uzbekistan and Morocco saw close to two-fold growth. “The growth we’re observing isn’t about replacing classic favourites; it’s about widening the map,” said Santosh Hegde, head of marketing at Atlys.
Spending patterns also back this up. Up to 49% of travellers deliberately chose off-peak or shoulder weeks to optimise costs, saving as much as ₹40,000 per trip in destinations like Maldives and Dubai, nearly ₹30,000 in Vietnam and around ₹20,000 in Sri Lanka, according to Pickyourtrail. These savings were redirected into upgrades, private transfers and premium experiences. Average spend per trip has risen 35–45% over the past four years, even as trips get shorter and more focused.
This widening of the map is also tied to changing motivations. According to Booking.com, travellers are moving towards more intentional, experience-led holidays, including after-dark safaris, stargazing escapes, bioluminescent beaches and night markets. “Travel in 2025 marks a pivotal shift for Indian travellers. We are moving beyond traditional getaways towards a deeply intentional and personalised approach,” said Santosh Kumar, regional manager, South Asia, Booking.com. “Every trip is now an investment in self-discovery, forging deeper connections and embracing experiences that align with individual values.”
Cleartrip’s data adds another layer to this evolution. Gen Z travellers grew 650% year-on-year, with Dubai, Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok among their top picks. Vietnam emerged as a breakout international destination, while Delhi and Bengaluru topped solo travel charts. Uttar Pradesh was the most visited state, with stay searches in Prayagraj tripling and Bareilly growing four-fold. Notably, 66% of bookings were made on mobile phones, UPI usage rose 6%, and credit card payments increased 8%.
