Skift Take
Alongside the Indian travel boom is a growing international Indian wedding market, with lucrative opportunities across the tourism ecosystem.
Skift Research’s latest report, “Tying the Knot Abroad: Market Sizing Indian Wedding Tourism,” presents a comprehensive analysis of India’s international wedding market. It highlights key trends, preferences, and challenges faced by hosts, planners, and businesses involved in organizing these extravagant celebrations abroad.
The global wedding industry is experiencing a notable shift as more Indian couples opt for international destinations. Skift Research’s survey reveals that this trend has created a thriving market, estimated at $1.9 billion (₹159.6 billion) in outbound travel spending. Most newlyweds who had an international destination wedding in the past year strongly skew towards high-budget weddings, averaging around $200,000 (₹1.8Cr).
Wedding planners play a critical role in the success of international destination weddings, often serving as key decision-makers. Our survey data reveals that 97% of Indians opting for international destination weddings in the past year engaged a wedding planner.
Businesses can benefit from strategic partnerships and exclusivity agreements with wedding planners, ensuring a steady influx of Indian weddings to their venues and services. Accommodation providers, in particular, stand to gain by offering competitive rates and tailored packages for bulk bookings, catering to the preference among hosts for housing guests at a single location.
The data also underscores the significance of online booking channels, highlighting the potential for targeted marketing efforts by OTAs and other platforms.
While international destination weddings currently constitute a smaller segment compared to overall Indian weddings, their rapid growth and significant economic impact cannot be overlooked. They not only offer a unique and memorable experience for couples and guests but also contribute significantly to the tourism and hospitality sector. Despite being less than 1% of all weddings, these extravagant affairs represent 5%+ of India’s international travel.
What you’ll learn from this report:
- The scale of the Indian international destination wedding market.
- Reasons why Indian couples choose international destinations for their weddings.
- Main decision makers involved in planning international destination weddings.
- Primary markets where Indian couples prefer to have their international weddings.
- Latest trends and preferences in planning and booking international destination weddings.
- Common challenges faced by hosts, planners, and businesses in organizing these weddings.
- Actionable insights for businesses looking to cater to the Indian international destination wedding market.
This is the latest in a series of reports and data products that Skift Research puts out to help you analyze the biggest trends in the travel industry. Tap into the opinions and insights of our seasoned network of staffers and contributors. More than 200 hours of desk research, data collection, and/or analysis goes into each report.
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Tags: booking trends, expenditure, india outbound, indian weddings, market size, Travel Trends