TLI Staff
New Delhi: Millennials may be preferring Ola and Uber and hence blamed for slump in car sales but their frequent holiday trips are helping the tourism sector beat slowdown blues.
A travel trend study has found 56 per cent of millenials (in the age group of 25-39 years) prefer multiple short-duration trips in a year than one or two long vacations.
In its India Holiday Report 2019, travel firm SOTC has said that Indians are displaying an increasing appetite for multiple short breaks/escapes of 3-6 days. Among majority of holidayers, 58 per cent of Gen Z (4-24 years) prefers to take trips of 3-6 days with engaging experiences while 56% of millenials or Gen Y prefer short duration trips vs long vacations.
The report said that 68 per cent of all respondents in the survey chose relaxation as a top reason to take a holiday while 73 per cent of India’s work warriors Gen Y/ millenials opted for travel escapades as a great way to unwind.
As per the annual report, Indians are increasingly opting for cashless modes of holiday payment. Almost 86 per cent of the GenY now go for digital payments while on holiday.
“In this digital age, social sharing, the increase of disposable income and the braggable rights of travel is power-driving the entire holiday ecosystem – whether outbound or domestic tourism. The Indian traveller has come of age and travel is no longer a luxury, but rather a non-negotiable necessity,” said the SOTC report.
Domestic holidays show a marked growth in the recent time with 92 per cent respondents taking a domestic holiday compared to 80 per cent in 2015. Leisure combined with spiritual journeys are witnessing as interesting trend. Destinations such as Madurai, Rameshwaram, Dwarka, Shirdi, Pushkar, Mathura, Ujjain & Varanasi have seen significant growth in 2019. Some of the short-haul foreign destinations such as Singapore and Bangkok are equally popular among holidayers.
The report said that international holidays are a mandatory inclusion in the annual travel plan of many travellers. Local Cuisine is a top holiday enhancement preference with 65 per cent of Gen Z and 57 per cent of Gen X selecting their travel destination basis its local food.
“Destinations like Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Italy, and France are trending for cuisine and wine journeys. Japan, Korea, Ireland are emerging for their unique local flavours and whiskey trails,” said the report.
Vishal Suri, Managing Director, SOTC Travel said that the findings reinforce the undeniable fact that everyone aspires to travel and that travel has become a non-negotiable element in the Indian traveller calendar.
“Whether it is bespoke adventures, solo or escorted tours, Indians are travelling far more than they have ever before and while they will continue to be quintessential value seekers, their passions like adventure or cuisine play a critical factor,” Suri stated.
(Photo credit: SOTC)
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