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Another key finding from the survey established that, there has been more than 100% increase in Indians looking to travel to USA since last year and 208% increase in Indians travelling to Europe since post Brexit.
As an alternate solution to minimise the impact of demonetisation on vacations, over 80% Indians are opting to reduce the number of days to travel and compromise on accommodation. Ironically, luxury travel has also witnessed a rise with 48% Indians willing to spend more than Rs 50,000 per person on travel this summer to that of 18% in 2016. Nearly 80% Indians are looking to stay in hotels this summer, only four percent prefer staying with friends/relatives. Homestays, a trend is rapidly gaining popularity in India and has seen an increase in preference by over 100% this summer.
Nearly 80% Indians prefer to book their travel through an online travel portal. The survey shows that more than 50% Indian travellers read online reviews before planning their vacation followed by 30% seeking recommendation from friends. On the back of continued low airfares, more than 80% travellers prefer air travel to any other mode of transport.
The survey revealed that hill stations are the most popular summer holiday destination this year followed by Kerala and Goa. While 24% of travellers believe that relaxation during holidays is the key reason to travel, 72% of the respondents said that they do not switch off from work even during vacation.
Commenting on the findings from the survey, Sharat Dhall, President, Yatra.com, said, “It is very encouraging to see that the number of people taking a holiday during summer is increasing year-on-year. It is heartening to note that demonetisation did not have a major impact on the peak travel season. Helped by relatively low airfares, there has been a shift in the passengers from rail to air. This is on account of the continued low oil prices and an increase in the capacity by both new entrants and the incumbent players.”
An interesting finding reveals that discounts on airfares make travellers most happy while planning their holiday. Also, free food and drinks and extra leg space on the flight is an added advantage for the same price. Highlighting the trend of long weekend travel, nearly 30% of the respondents said that they are planning to travel for three to four days, while 58% said that they will travel for more than a week.
Source: travelnewsdigest.in