One in every three Indian is planning to travel and take a holiday during the upcoming Christmas and New Year season, according to a recent survey conducted by Goibibo’s Consumer Insights. The survey indicates that 60% of the respondents who are willing to travel during the winter holiday season are planning to spend the year end vacationing in the hills or by the beach.
Amongst the surveyed more than 70% are hoping to relax and celebrate this winter holiday season with their family, spouse or partner while the rest are looking to end the year traveling with friends and long-not-met colleagues.
While travellers are equally split between beaches and mountains as holiday destination of choice in India – they concur the destination has to bring them closer to nature and be scenic more than anything else. While nearly 70% respondents want to spend time outdoors, soaking in the sights or doing adventure activities like rafting, hiking, water sport or just sightseeing; only 20% respondents are looking to wrap the year at bars or parties. As safety remains paramount, survey responders gave highest preference to sanitization, hygiene and safety certification in their order of priority while choosing their stay option.
Rajesh Magow, co-founder and group CEO of MakeMyTrip that includes MakeMyTrip, Goibibo and redBus, said: “Pent-up wanderlust is real and these survey findings reflect that Indians are finding new ways to fulfil their travel aspirations and are confidently stepping forward when assured of safe travel choices. Over the past few months, we have worked closely and creatively with the entire travel and hospitality value chain to raise safety standards and help customers make the journey from being homebound to being travellers again. Bookings for the winter festive holiday season on goibibo indicate an increase in travel to domestic leisure destinations including Goa, Lonavala, Mahabaleshwar, Pondicherry, Coorg, Shimla, Manali and Darjeeling. As we step into 2021, we are confident of a continued upward travel trend that will find more force as mass vaccine rollout plan materialises.”
The survey conducted among 2,000+ respondents between 15 November to 5 December 2020 further indicates that the winter holiday season will witness nearly 60% leisure travellers booking a trip for two or more days.
Long distance leisure travel makes a strong comeback while drive-through holidays continue to remain a preferred option amongst Indian travellers. 50% travellers across all demographics and cohorts are willing to opt for air travel for the upcoming winter holiday season signalling a strong boost in passenger confidence and trust in hopping on to a flight for a holiday post pandemic.
With flight holidays in equal consideration as drive-through holidays, the preference to air travel can also be attributed to the mini-road trips undertaken by people since Unlock was announced in July.
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