Relatively cheaper flight tickets incentivising foreign holiday plans for Indians

• Most of the top five most trending destinations internationally have experienced a drop in flight prices or remained stable.
  
• Consumer behaviour is evolving, with a greater emphasis on finding unique, personalised, and memorable travel experiences.
  
• Air India, Air India Express, Vistara, and Indigo among the top ten international airlines.
  

Indians have been truly bitten by the wanderlust bug since the decline of the COVID-19 pandemic. While average domestic flight fares have gone up in the last one year, average flight fares to top international destinations have come down, making them more lucrative for Indian travellers, according to travel portal kayak.co.in. In fact, another survey points out that 60% of respondents say that they plan to travel abroad in 2023.

Travel reports show that the current lower international fares have made it an excellent time for Indian travellers to plan a trip to Hong Kong, where the average return flight price is ₹39,109 which is 25% less than it was last year. Taking a plane to Jeddah, or Tokyo will cost travellers 14% less than last year on average, while flight prices to Auckland, and Colombo have remained flat.

If you are dreaming of an international vacation but worried about the expenses, here is a list of destinations you can plan a trip to without breaking the bank.

Personalised travel experiences

A significant majority of Indian travellers, approximately 86%, are expressing optimism regarding their future travel plans for the upcoming 12 months.

An interesting trend in travel is the growing preference for metropolitan cities such as New Delhi, Bangalore, Mumbai, and Chennai, as well as hill stations like Manali and Rishikesh, according to Booking.com, an online travel agency. Additionally, destinations with rich cultural heritage like Jaipur are also gaining popularity among travellers. Consumer behaviour is evolving, with a greater emphasis on finding unique, personalised, and memorable travel experiences.

During the first half of 2023, not only hotels but also alternative accommodations such as resorts, guest houses, homestays, hostels, apartments, and villas emerged as the most popular choices for lodging. This indicates a shift towards diverse and varied accommodation options that cater to different preferences and provide a more distinct and customised travel experience.

Air India and Vistara rising high

Top domestic travel destinations for Indians during the April to June 2023 period were Goa, Kochi, Lucknow, Bhubaneshwar, and Jaiputr, according to travel portal Cleatrip. Dubai, Singapore, Bangkok, Phuket, and Abu Dhabi were the top international destinations. Dubai and Singapore also featured among the top international travel destinations according to another recent report.


Interestingly Air India, Air India Express, Vistara, and Indigo were among the top ten international airlines. Air India, and Vistara also featured among the top three airlines in premium economy and business class.