The tourism industry has witnessed a significant shift towards off-the-beaten-path adventures, thanks to infrastructure improvements and improved visa regulations that have made travel more accessible, convenient and exciting for everyone, industry officials say.
In 2024, destinations in Southeast Asia became the top choice for travelers, and innovations in affordable travel and payment played a significant role in driving growth this year.
According to a Cleartrip report, Gen Z and older adults have embraced affordable travel options by a factor of two, reflecting the growing inclusivity of travel offerings. What’s more, flexible travel payment options have gained significant traction, with adoption rates among Gen Z increasing 1.4x.
“Thanks to the easing of visa and travel policies, Southeast Asian destinations have become a top choice for travelers. This year has also seen an increase in the use of affordable travel options, especially among GenZ and seniors, and an increase in flexible ways to pay for travel,” Cleartrip Chief Business and Development Officer Anuj Rathi told PTI.
Southeast Asia continues to dominate as a preferred travel destination, largely due to visa-free policies that make international travel easier, the report said.
Notably, bookings to Denpasar (Bali) have increased by 73 percent compared to 2023, driven by the launch of direct flights from Bangalore to Bali by Indigo, making the destination more accessible to Indian travelers.
Other international destinations also saw significant growth, including Tbilisi (27 percent), Tashkent (100 percent), Almaty (73 percent), Da Nang (60 percent) and Baku (133 percent), the report added.
In the domestic market in 2024, beaches and islands became new favorites.
Bookings to Agathi Island in Lakshadweep grew by 94 per cent, while Diu saw a staggering 130 per cent growth, supported by the launch of direct flights with Indigo connecting Bengaluru to Agathi and FLY91 connecting Goa to Diu.
Meanwhile, data from Booking.com showed that travel in 2024 was an interesting mix of both local and global destinations.
Goa became the most searched destination in 2024, with a 200 percent year-on-year increase in flight searches.
Indian travelers also engaged in cultural and spiritual explorations with Amritsar, for example, seeing a 106 percent increase in searches compared to 2023.
Globally popular destinations such as Abu Dhabi, Kuala Lumpur, Melbourne, London and Bangkok remain popular choices, with search flights up 90-150 per cent year-on-year.
Thanks to the ease of travel, off-the-beaten-path destinations that were previously off travelers’ radars have become popular, with Shahdag in Azerbaijan becoming the most popular international destination for accommodation in 2024, for example.
With Indian travelers looking for new experiences, unexplored international destinations such as Stepantsminda (212 percent), Baku (203 percent) and Tromsø (185 percent) have also become popular choices, the global digital travel company said.
Domestic travelers were looking for an authentic experience with destinations like Perumbakkam, Pangala and Thecumuri gaining popularity, the report added.
In 2024, the most popular attractions on Booking.com were iconic Indian experiences such as the Taj Mahal Private Car Tour from Delhi and the Food and Culture Walking Tour of Old Delhi.
With the rise of eco-travel, the electric bike riding experience at Diwar Island in old Goa has also made it to the top three attractions in 2024.
“As destinations like Shahdag and Baku in Azerbaijan or Gudauri in Georgia grow in popularity, we are seeing a shift towards offbeat adventures. Improved connectivity, infrastructure and better visa regulations make travel more accessible, convenient and exciting for everyone.” — Booking.com Country Manager for India, Sri Lanka, Maldives and Indonesia Santosh Kumar added.
