Jump in Indian Travel: More Premium, More Last-Minute

Ticket sales to and from India surged 25% last year, according to data shared by travel company Trevolution Group. This led to the group recording a high of $140 million in gross bookings. 

“India remains one of our most dynamic markets; the growth that Trevolution group has seen in travel to and from India shows its increasing global mobility,” said Alex Weinstein, founder of Dyninno Group of Companies. 

Trevolution recorded an over 40% year-on-year increase in outbound travel from India in 2024. The demand for travel to the UK increased by over a 1,000% in 2024 as compared to 2023, and this figure was 97% for Canada and 10% for the United Arab Emirates. Meanwhile, demand for inbound transpacific flights increased by over 20%. 

Along with the surge has come a decline in advance booking time for outbound passengers from India. Last year, less than 16% of air passengers from India booked tickets three months in advance as compared to over 19% in 2023. Meanwhile, over 25% of passengers booked their flights within 10 days of departure, marking a 2% year-on-year growth in last-minute bookings. 

Last month, online travel company Agoda also said that Indian Gen Z are booking flights and accommodations at the last minute more than any other generation. Over 30% of Gen Z travelers book their flights less than a week in advance, and 44% make last-minute hotel bookings, its survey revealed.

Growth in Sales of Business Class Tickets: Over the past two months, Dyninno’s Trevolution Group has recorded a 9% increase in demand for business class air tickets to India. The company has recorded a shift in preferences of travelers, who are now prioritizing comfort more than ever, according to Weinstein.

The growth is also happening in India, but at a slower pace. It recorded a marginal increase in demand for business class tickets for outbound trips from India. Last year, the group generated nearly $60 million from sales of business class tickets in travel to and from India. 

This surge in preference for premium travel has been observed across the industry. Last year, budget Indian airline IndiGo announced the launch of its business class product IndiGoStretch. “This is a strategic move by the airline to meet the growing demand for luxury and premium travel,” Skift reported at the time. The rise in premium travel is being driven by an increase in disposable income and a growing middle class that wants to enjoy high-end experiences.

Religious Tourism: The Indian Travel Industry’s Next Big Bet

In its 45-day run, the Mahakumbh Hindu gathering was visited by over 660 million devotees, well above projections for 400 million. Mahakumbh is just one example of a trend that has emerged as a key force in India’s travel industry, and hotels, airlines, and online travel agencies are all taking note. 

The trend spans generations, as data for the Mahakumbh from online travel agency Ixigo shows. “Notably, young travellers aged 20-25 make up 26% of total bus bookings, surpassing older age groups,” Ixigo Group CEO Aloke Bajpai told Skift. Travellers aged between 28-43 years made up 31% of the total train bookings made to Prayagraj.

Religious tourism in India has surged in recent years and it accounts for over 60% of domestic travel in the country, according to a report from KPMG. According to real estate services firm Colliers, spiritual tourism holds a 30% market share in the country's overall travel and tourism sector.

According to a report last May by the government of India’s industry research body, India Brand Equity Foundation (IBEF), the spiritual tourism segment in India is expected to be valued at $59 billion by 2028. “By 2030, more than 100 million people will be gainfully employed through temporary and permanent jobs driven by India’s spiritual tourism alone,” IBEF added. 

IndiGo Reveals Two European Cities as First Long-Haul Destinations

IndiGo has ended months of speculation with the announcement of its first long-haul destinations. On Thursday, the Indian carrier confirmed Amsterdam and Manchester will be served nonstop from Delhi, Skift reported. 

The new routes will initially be operated by leased aircraft. The Boeing 787-9 planes are sourced from Norse Atlantic Airways and will be flown under a ‘damp lease’ agreement. IndiGo said the Norse aircraft will enable the airline to “make an early entry into the long-haul market and establish itself in Europe.”

Both Amsterdam and Manchester routes will operate three-times weekly and are due to begin in July. The services are subject to final regulatory approvals and what IndiGo describes as “operational preparedness.” 

IndiGo is also starting exclusive daily direct flights between Tiruchirappalli and Jaffna at the end of the month. With this, IndiGo is set to operate 60 weekly flights to Sri Lanka from five Indian cities. 

How India is Traveling on Holi Weekend

This year, the Hindu festival of Holi is set to fall on Friday, making it a long weekend. As a result, online travel company Booking.com has seen a surge in interest for destinations ranging from Vrindavan in Uttar Pradesh to Tokyo in Japan.

Udaipur is the most searched domestic destination for the festival, followed by Mumbai. People are also seeking to travel to spiritual destinations as Rishikesh, Varanasi, Vrindavan, and Puri all fall in the 10 most searched domestic destinations for Holi.

However, many are also planning to use the long weekend to plan short international getaways. Dubai, Singapore, and Bangkok are the most searched international destinations, according to Booking.com. 

Sarovar Hotels Opens Third Hotel in Srinagar

Sarovar Hotels has opened Sarovar Premiere Srinagar in Jammu and Kashmir. The 83-room upscale hotel is the company’s third property in Srinagar. The hotel is looking to capitalize on the growing influx of tourists. 

Last year, 23.6 million tourists visited the state of Jammu and Kashmir, according to the state’s economic survey. This was an over 11% increase as compared to 2023. The survey also noted that the Tourism Working Meeting of G20 Summit held in Srinagar in 2023 helped boost the state’s tourism sector. 

Sarovar Hotels has over 135 operational hotels across India. It has plans to bring its operational pipeline up to 150 by the end of this year, Sarovar Hotels chairman Ajay Bakaya told Skift in an interview last year. 

Women’s Sports Leading to Increase in Travel

The Women’s Premier League tournament of cricket has led to a surge in travel, according to data from travel search aggregator Skyscanner. During the tournament’s run in February and March, Bengaluru, Mumbai, and Lucknow emerged as the most-searched host cities of cricket matches. 

“There was a 31% month-on-month uptick in flight searches to Vadodara in February, which coincides with the period when two strong teams, Mumbai Indians and Delhi Capitals were facing off against each other,” a statement from Skyscanner said.