International leisure flight bookings from India for the June-August period are up 40% compared to a year ago, said a new report, indicating a strong recovery path for the domestic travel market. However, demand is still 15-20% below the pre-pandemic peak in 2019.
According to Rategen, a software solutions provider for the travel and hospitality sector, Singapore was the top destination for flight bookings, followed by San Francisco, Melbourne, Toronto and Bali. The company’s data platform collects insights from approximately 300 travel brands including Adair airlines, hotel chains, tourism organisations, OTAs and luxury retailers.
Indian couples are looking forward to westerns, with the US, Canada and the UK emerging as the most frequently booked destinations for the summer season, according to research findings shared with Mint. In Asia, Bali and Singapore have gained popularity.
Europe was conspicuously absent from many holiday plans, possibly due to visa issues. Last month, Mint had reported on delays in visa processing for Indian tourists wanting to visit the Schengen Area comprising 27 European countries.
While some travel operators said that European embassies failed to anticipate rising demand from India, others blamed visa-processing companies like VFS Global for the delay.
The most preferred destinations for families from India include the US, Singapore, UAE, Canada and Thailand, the research said. Solo travelers mainly choose the US, Canada and the UK as their top destinations, while Thailand remains a popular choice for leisure travel among solo travelers.
Destinations such as Qatar and the United Arab Emirates are also seeing an increase in bookings by solo travelers, mainly for business purposes rather than leisure.
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These locations have become important hubs for business-related activities, attracting solo travelers looking for business activities and opportunities.
Among tracked family travelers, about 19.8% booked hotels with an average daily rate of $400 (approx.). 33,000). It is noteworthy that this particular segment of family travelers booked rooms at twice the rate as compared to couples.
“These trends indicate that the Indian travel market is recovering from the pandemic with the focus on leisure travel concentrated in western countries. Business travel is also recovering in places like the US, Canada and the UK. Families are traveling more and booking higher priced hotels,” said a company spokesperson.
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