Indian Travellers Loosen Their Purse Strings

The travel sector seems to be looking up as Indian travellers are willing to loosen their purse strings this holiday season.

Three out of four respondents are ready to spend more than Rs 25,000 on vacation.

More than 75 per cent respondents prefer to travel by air this summer holiday and 81 per cent respondents were planning a vacation this summer. These were a part of the findings of 6th annual summer survey of Yatra.com, one of India's online travel portals. The survey showcases a striking shift in the mind-set of Indian travellers this holiday season.

Survey findings indicate that Indians are looking to travel comfortably with 97 percent looking to travel by economy class in air, while close to 90 per cent of the remaining respondents are looking to travel in an AC class by rail.

The survey also found an inclination towards star properties with 62 per cent travellers looking to stay in a non-budget hotel or resort/villa. There is also a significant rise in preference for the homestays segment with over 15 per cent respondents booking their accommodation at homestays instead of any other form of accommodation.

The top domestic destinations include Goa, Kerala, Leh/Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, Andamans and Lakshadeep Islands.

While the international top destinations include Europe Thailand/Singapore/Malaysia, USA, UK.

The survey, based on the responses of over 3000 respondents, revealed that more than 60 per cent respondents would update their Facebook status while on vacation. The power of social media was also apparent when the survey revealed that around 51 per cent of the respondents looked at online reviews before finalising their destination this summer. Of the respondents, 50 per cent respondents were contemplating a break around two-three times a year and 65 per cent were considering to plan a holiday for 15 days.

In addition, the survey highlighted that 82 per cent respondents would like to travel with their family and 28 per cent were committed to holidaying by the beach this summer season.

Another survey by Booking.com further indicated that Indian travellers are the most willing to pay a premium for sustainable tourism. They are closely followed by Brazilians and Chinese, says a survey

Sustainable tourism implies that neither the natural environment nor the socio-cultural fabric of tourist destinations is impacted by the arrival of tourists.

About 97 per cent Indian tourists are looking forward to travel sustainably during their holidays to have an enriching experience and for this they will not mind doling out extra money, says a survey by Netherland-based travel e-commerce company, Booking.com. Around 88 per cent of them were willing to pay an extra premium to ensure the same.

It revealed that while 73 per cent of current Indian travellers always or often opt for sustainable travel, around 32 per cent are willing to pay at least 15 per cent more to ensure as low an impact on the environment as possible.

The sustainability measures are not an inconvenience, as many Indian travellers indicated they engage in sustainable travel behaviour because it adds a positive experience to their trip, it added.

The survey was independently conducted among a sample of adults who have taken a trip in the last 12 months or plan to take one in the next 12 months.

About 12,134 respondents were surveyed from 12 markets, including Australia, Canada, China, Germany, Spain, France, India, Italy, Japan, Brazil, the UK and the US. From India, 1,018 respondents were surveyed.

The sustainable activities most enjoyed by Indians during vacations are buying locally made products instead of mass-produced tourist souvenirs (69 per cent), using public transport instead of a taxi (62 per cent) and to find a local restaurant that only uses local ingredients (61 per cent). Indians also like skipping tourist highlights in favour of less busy and often more rewarding sights (48 per cent) and opt for a place to stay that is a certified eco-accommodation over a traditional hotel (58 per cent), it added. Most Indians look for sustainable options as 75 per cent said they were motivated by the impressive natural sights, including rain forests, coral reefs, among others. About 72 per cent also felt motivated by the positive effect sustainable tourism had on local people, it added.

Indian Travellers Loosen Their Purse Strings - People are willing to spend more on travel and also pay a premium for sustainable tourism for more info visit: dailypioneer.com

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