Travel optimism is back for Indians in 2022, after months of start-stop travel restrictions, Indians are keen to pack their bags and take off, according to Agoda’s “India-genous Travel” Survey. The survey aims to shine the spotlight on post Covid travel trends and attitudes. With many not having spent time with family and friends since the onset of the pandemic, reuniting with loved ones is the highest priority and number one purpose for travel, followed by chilling at the beach/nature and trying a new adventure on a trip, which come in second and third accordingly.
India has an array of choices when it comes to natural wonders within its borders, be it national parks, beaches, the Himalayan mountain views in the North East, or the Kaas Plateau in Maharashtra, and Agoda’s “India-geneous Travel” survey finds that up to 68 per cent of Indians expect to travel domestically and 39 per cent internationally by within nine months of travel restrictions easing.
Over 21 per cent of Indian travellers anticipate traveling domestically within one month of restrictions easing, in comparison with only six per cent who are ready to jet set internationally, during the same time frame. 10 per cent and 16 per cent of Indians would like to wait for more than a year before they start domestic and international trips, respectively. However, the most cautious age group is the 45+ bracket, 28 per cent of whom do not plan to travel until all Covid-19 travel restrictions are lifted.
Although international travel may have been put on pause for a short while, close to 39 per cent of Indian travellers are expecting to travel to international destinations within 2022.
The Agoda survey also reveals that almost three in five Indians plan to take one to three vacations per year in the future followed by one in 10 planning to take four to six vacations, and just four per cent to take seven to 10 breaks a year. While a quarter of people expect to take the same number of trips as the pre-pandemic times, the same amount plans to take more vacations every year in the future.