Post the COVID-19 pandemic, travel has become a major activity among Indians. Add live cricket to that and fans are willing to raise their budgets despite a trend indicating cost-consciousness. While Indians cautiously plan their itineraries keeping a tight budget in mind, a survey by Skyscanner suggests that budget-conscious travellers in India are embracing travel with an open mind.
The global travel marketplace released its Travel in Focus Report on July 11, which highlights that 47 percent Indians are flexible to switch their itineraries, when presented with better travel deals. When it comes to international holidays, Indians are willing to pick less expensive destinations or go on holidays during off season.
Here are some key highlights of the survey:
Chasing Cricket: Around 75% of respondents are willing to increase their travel budget to experience live cricket matches. With the 2023 Cricket World Cup being held in India in October, there is already a 46 percent spike in searches from within India to Ahmedabad, one of the host cities. Despite strong demand, prices on Skyscanner reveal that flights to Ahmedabad from Mumbai are 36 percent lower for the month of June 2023, compared to June 2022.
Slow travelling gurus: In 2023, Indian travellers are taking it slow, with more travellers 46 percent opting for more immersive travel over of fast-paced travel (40 percent). Rather than visiting as many places as possible, travellers are looking to spend more time in a single destination, taking their time to immerse themselves in the local culture.
Purposeful Voyagers: Travellers today are looking to travel with purpose and centre their travel experiences around specific activities. Around 55 percent Indian travellers are planning purpose-related travel in India to engage in activities such as scuba diving, golfing, yoga, or wellness retreats.
Meanwhile, India has become the source of most inbound travellers to the US. For the first time in 2022, Asia's highest source of international travellers was India, surpassing traditional countries such as China, South Korea, and Japan, according to tourism consultancy IPK International.
(Edited by : Jerome Anthony)
