MUMBAI, INDIA, 30 MAY: Thomas Cook India and its group company, SOTC Travel, released their India Holiday Report 2025 this week — a comprehensive study capturing the evolving aspirations and behaviour of Indian travellers.
Conducted across digital platforms, the study surveyed over 2,500 respondents over one month, reflecting a significant shift driven by rising disposable incomes and the growing aspirational value of travel, including experiential holidays.
With 85% of Indians planning to increase their trips and a significant proportion intending to boost budgets by up to 50%, the report paints a picture of a booming travel economy.
High on planning lists are experiential and event-led activities, such as polar expeditions, icebreaker cruises, music concerts, global sporting events, wildlife safaris, gastronomy and vineyard trails, stargazing camps, and phenomenon travel (Northern Lights, Cherry Blossom and Midnight Sun).
‘Phygital’ journeys, which blend digital discovery with human touchpoints, continue to influence and drive bookings. Additionally, travellers show a clear inclination towards more extended holidays. Today’s new-age Indian traveller is also keen on spiritual travel, hidden gems, and distinctive accommodations, such as igloos, treehouses, and chalets-chateaux.
Key takeaways from the survey
Travel is now an integral part of the Indian lifestyle, driven by various factors. One of them is the introduction of new routes and direct flights are significantly improving accessibility and fuelling travel demand.
Influence of social media, OTT platforms and movies: 60% of respondents indicate that social media, OTT platforms and movies are increasingly shaping their travel decisions.
Simplified visa processes and easy access: 44% of respondents are more likely to visit countries offering simplified visa processes, such as e-visas or visa-on-arrival options, like Thailand, Malaysia, the UAE, and Sri Lanka. Meanwhile, countries that issue long-term visas are also seeing an uptick, including Australia and Japan.
Indian consumers remain value seekers: 39% actively seek promotions, highlighting the strong influence of discounts and special offers on their purchasing decisions. Promotional campaigns & deals from tour operators and tourism boards are driving travel interest. At the same time, there is a clear shift towards trusted travel brands for premium holiday experiences, reflecting a focus on reliability.
Word of mouth remains relevant: 30% of respondents reported that recommendations from friends, family, and colleagues continue to influence their holiday decisions.
Increased frequency of holidays and longer stays
Holidays set to double or triple: 85% of respondents plan to increase their holidays from 2 per year to 4-6 trips annually.
Smart planning fuels mini-cations: 47% of respondents intend to use long weekends and public holidays for short getaways. Similarly, there is a notable shift towards longer trips, with 54% of respondents extending their trips by 5 to 10 days.
Strong holiday spend intent: Approximately 84% of respondents plan to increase their travel spending by 20-50% in 2025, with over 18% intending to boost their budgets by a substantial 50% or more. This mirrors a broader trend, where travellers are allocating more budgets to gastronomy, experiences and shopping.
Evolving travel companion preferences: Travelling together remains the preferred mode, with 90% opting for company. Multigenerational families (65%) lead the chart, followed by couples (60%) and a rising segment — ‘frolleagues’ (colleagues who double as friends) at 28%; solo at 10%.
Family bonding trips on the rise: There’s been an increase in travel experiences focused on family connections, such as mother-daughter trips and sibling/cousin holidays
Experiential travel takes centre stage: Close to 75% of respondents are interested in experience-led holidays.
Over 45% of respondents are prioritising phenomenon-based travel (Northern Lights, Cherry Blossoms; Midnight Sun). There is also a growing interest in safaris, self-drives, and outdoor adventures (32%).
Gastronomy trips (26%) are increasing to France, Spain, Australia, Thailand, Malaysia, Japan and South Korea.
Event tourism (global music concerts, sporting events and festivals) is also on the rise, aligning with a focus on entertainment-driven travel experiences (22%). Australia, Abu Dhabi, and Thailand are prime destinations.
(Source: Thomas Cook India and SOTC).
