SINGAPORE, 29 October 2026: For Indian travellers, the October-to-November festive season is increasingly becoming an opportunity to combine festival celebrations with a change of scene, Agoda reports.
With Dussehra, Durga Puja and Diwali approaching, accommodation search trends on digital travel platform Agoda show travellers looking at a mix of international experiences and domestic leisure breaks.
Based on searches made between 1 August and 30 September 2026 for stays between 15 October and 30 November, Indian travellers most often searched Bangkok, Phuket and Tokyo, while Goa, Puri and Udaipur were the most popular domestic destinations.
Asia leads festival tour itineraries
International travel interest for Indian travellers is led by destinations across Asia, with Thailand, Vietnam and Japan among the most searched countries, recording 55%, 86% and 125% growth in searches, respectively, compared to last year.
Sri Lanka, on the other hand, recorded almost 262% year-on-year growth in searches among the top international destinations, followed by Hong Kong SAR, China, at nearly 138%, indicating growing interest across a mix of destinations that offer cultural, culinary and leisure experiences.
At the city or resort level, Bangkok and Phuket in Thailand recorded 65% and 51% growth in searches, respectively, offering travellers a combination of cultural landmarks such as the Grand Palace and Wat Pho along with local food and coastal experiences.
In Vietnam, Phu Quoc recorded 124% growth in searches by Indian travellers, with its beaches, island-hopping experiences and night markets offering a mix of leisure and local experiences. Hanoi recorded a 94% increase, with attractions such as the Old Quarter and Hoan Kiem Lake offering a glimpse of the city’s heritage. Tokyo also recorded 109% growth in searches from India, with the October to November travel window coinciding with its autumn foliage season, when spots such as Shinjuku Gyoen become popular for ‘Kōyō’, Japan’s tradition of enjoying the changing colours of the leaves.
Festive escapes return to perennial favourites
Within India, festive travel trends reflect a mix of leisure, cultural and nature-led getaways. Goa saw nearly 43% year-over-year growth in searches, while Udaipur grew by nearly 29%, reflecting continued interest in established leisure and heritage destinations. Puri recorded 318% growth in searches, followed by Ooty at 166% and Munnar at 107%, pointing to interest in coastal, hill and nature-focused breaks. Varanasi also saw 92% year-over-year growth, adding to interest in destinations tied to India’s cultural and spiritual heritage.
Agoda Country Director, Indian Subcontinent & Indian Ocean Islands, Gaurav Malik shared: “The festive period has traditionally been when travel and celebration come together, but the destinations people are considering reveal that there are now various ways to spend this time. Interest spans beach holidays, city breaks, cultural destinations, and hill station escapes, suggesting travellers choose destinations around the experience they want, rather than simply following a conventional itinerary. For Agoda, this also means helping people discover the right stay and experiences around increasingly diverse ways of travelling.”
(Source: Agoda)
