Trends and Preferences of Indian Tourists Are Changing; TravClan Report Showcases Their Indulgences

Dated July 27th, 2023 in New Delhi:

Today, TravClan, a worldwide B2B Travel Tech Platform, released a research that summarises the changing travel habits of Indians. The research is quite helpful, and it dispels the myth that India is a price-sensitive market.

Indian tourists, who have a reputation for being thrifty, are becoming more open to paying more for memorable adventures. Bookings for recognisable hotel brands increased by 50 percent, and demand for air travel increased dramatically, despite a 30 percent increase in ticket rates, reflecting this trend. Indian tourists increasingly choose memorable experiences and high levels of comfort above low prices.

The changing face of the Indian traveller is reflected in factors such as the popularity of spur-of-the-moment trips, the rise of branded hotels, the popularity of unusual vacation spots, and the rise of digital travel planning.

This research is based on an in-depth analysis of over 200,000 domestic and international reservations made via TravClan in the first half of 2023 and provides essential insights into India's booming travel industry. Over 400,000 people in India choose to fly every day, making it the country's most popular mode of transportation.

Furthermore, this year has seen a 30% rise in the number of people travelling with a group. Modern audiences and upscale travellers place a higher value on punctuality and comfort than they always did. The airline business is evolving as a result of the current focus on service quality and brand reputation. The trend towards experiencing travel is reflected in the increased popularity of reserving private residences like villas for groups or families.

Booking habits have also changed, with foreign tourists being more likely to reserve their flights months in advance than domestic vacationers (15% vs. 60%). The survey also shows that tourists aren't content to follow the beaten route and are instead actively searching out unusual places to visit. Customers are finding ideas for their next vacation anywhere from social media to the suggestions of their friends and coworkers to branded marketing campaigns.

More than half of today's tourists actively seek out and inquire about unusual destinations, reflecting the rising tide of interest in "authentic" or "experience" vacations. TravClan is providing travel agents with B2C marketing tools such as posters and brochures to help them contact clients and convert more reservations in response to these shifting incentives.

Mr. Arun Bagaria, Co-founder & CEO of TravClan, commented on this:

"With a boom in domestic travel and a slow recovery in foreign travel, travellers are prioritising excellent experiences and seeking quality and comfort with cost. We at TravClan are excited to be a part of this revolutionary time because it will allow travel agencies to better serve their clients by providing them with memorable trips that go off without a hitch."

Additionally, the industry's operations have changed drastically as a result of digital transformation. With the help of TravClan, more than 30 percent of its travel agencies now have their own websites complete with customer reviews, video tours, daily news updates, and blogs. Booking times have increased as travellers now do more research in order to get the best possible experience for their money. Travel agencies are responding to this need by investing substantial effort in researching about destinations and booking platforms.

"Government initiatives like UDAN and Dekho Apna Desh have greatly boosted domestic tourism,"

Chirag Agrawal, Co-Founder of TravClan, said.

The Indian tourism sector has reason to be positive in the future because of rising air connectivity, the rise of spontaneous travel, and the rise of regional travel. The travel industry as a whole stands to benefit greatly from these tendencies, and so do individual travel agencies.

One further important takeaway is that domestic air connectivity encourages vacationers to go farther for shorter trips to places like Kerala and Kashmir.When planning company getaways and off-site meetings, branded hotel bookings are on the rise.Nearly a quarter of all domestic tourism on the TravClan platform goes to places like Himachal Pradesh and Kerala.

Local travel agencies that specialise in tailor-made vacations have seen an uptick in business as a result of the growing popularity of "experiential" vacations.Up to 20% more time is spent on the booking process is attributable to travellers' increased time spent studying locations prior to making a reservation.The typical travel agent spends between 20 and 30 percent of their time researching and learning about new places to visit.The growing popularity of vacation packages is evidence that tourists increasingly seek well organised itineraries and carefully curated experiences.

When it comes to selling and delivering unforgettable trips to customers all over the globe, TravClan is revolutionising the manner in which travel agencies do business. TravClan, a travel technology company with a local presence in over 18 countries and an emphasis on cutting-edge technology and seamless client experiences, enables 15,000+ travel agents to sell travel online and offers complete end-to-end on-the-ground travel services.