Thursday, December 11, 2014

How Indians would like like to travel this Christmas!

Did you know that 66.7% of Indian travellers would prefer to travel abroad and stay in a hotel and 75% would definitely plan a weekend getaway if they are unable to take a long vacation for Christmas this year? 

Hotels.com recently conducted a global Christmas survey in 28 countries from over 8,700 respondents that reveals some interesting facts about traveller preferences this winter.
Since Christmas is celebrated on a muted scale in a country like India, 46% of Indian travellers and 32% of APAC travellers would travel for the reason of experiencing Christmas elsewhere, while 62% of Indian travellers would pick a hotel that offers a traditional yuletide experience.

The results of the survey are a clear indication of the evolving Indian traveller who wants to travel not just during the year end but also to experience more of the trappings of a traditional Christmas. The global survey reveals:

APAC travellers seem to be in the mood to travel this Christmas as 32% travellers from the region want to go abroad and stay in a hotel during the period, while only 20%, 17%, and 9% of LATAM, Europe and NA travellers are planning to travel abroad respectively 

Travellers in different regions spend their Christmas holidays away for different reasons - the top reasons for Europe and APAC travellers was to spend “some quality time with my family”, while NA and LATAM travellers gave “to enjoy some cooler temperatures” and “to experience Christmas elsewhere” as their key objectives respectively.

Less than 10% of travellers would like to avoid the Christmas fuss by travelling elsewhere
77% APAC, 94% LATM, and only 66% European travellers would chose a hotel that offers a traditional Christmas celebration

Another survey by travel portal, Yatra.com, shows that more than 25% Indians are willing to spend over Rs 50,000 on their winter vacation. While 34.9% people are willing to spend between Rs 25,000 to Rs 50,000 on their vacation. 

The survey showcased that Indians have started taking frequent holidays through the year, albeit for shorter durations. 81.2 per cent respondents prefer to take holidays of up to 7 days, while only 5.4 per cent opt for holidays for more than 15 days. And a whopping 72.8% people take 4 or more holidays a year. 

Still hooked on to work:
While Indians enjoy holidaying, the survey found that 18.2 per cent Indians are hooked on to their phones even during vacations. But there were also 28 per cent respondents who said they switch off completely from work, while 53.8 per cent Indians will check their phone at least once a day to stay connected.

Prefer to pay and stay:
The survey found that just 13.4 per cent respondents were keen to stay at a relative or a friend’s place on vacation, while an overwhelming81.6 per cent preferred to stay at hotels. The survey found that 45.7 per cent Indians prefer staying at 2-3 star hotels, and nearly 20 per cent stay at 4-5 star hotels. The new upcoming trend that the survey revealed was that 5 per cent Indians are looking for home stays which was relatively negligible in the past.

BFFs:
The survey shows that while only 16.1 per cent Indians opt for travelling with their families,a staggering 39 per cent Indians are looking to holiday with their friends and 37 per cent looking to travel with their partners.

Lost in Nature:
Indians have a varying Travel Quotient when it comes to vacations. While most Indians (48.1%) prefer a retreat in the lap of nature, the lazy beach holidays are also popular with 15 per cent Indians. Hobby-centric holidays are also on the rise - 13 per cent admitting to being adventure junkies, 12 per cent admitted to travelling to satiate the foodie within them, 7.1 per cent admitted to wandering in search of historical monuments, and shopaholics accounted for 4.8 per cent. 

Apps make it easier:
There is a sizable increase in mobile bookings for holidays. 19.8 per cent Indians have started to use various mobile apps for their travel bookings,and now only7.5 per cent of the peopleprefer the travel agents, while the remaining still prefer booking holidays on their desktops.

Exploring the world:
The survey also saw an increase in people willing to travel abroad, with more than 25 per cent opting for international travel this winter season. Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia and Dubai are popular with those heading abroad, while amongst the Indian holiday destinations, Goa, Kerala and Rajasthan continue to remain hot favourites. The inspiration behind opting for a certain destination though, varies for each individual. 

Social Media is the influencer:
Travel blogs and social media emerged as major influencers when it comes to choosing a travel destination; with 30.8 per cent Indians claiming that they refer to them. Many Indians were influenced by family and friends, and only a select 6.3% are inspired by movies or TV serials to pick their next holiday destination.    

The findings also revealed that out of 70% of Indians opting for vacations this winter,Over 39.7 per cent Indians prefer group tours and hassle free customised packages. The rest still opted for separate bookings for travel and accommodation equally. 

The Yatra.com survey was conducted among 5,000 individuals who are a part of its customer base.



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