The global travel search engine Skyscanner (skyscanner.co.in) has crunched some serious travel data and has come up with a list of the top travel destinations for 2017 for Indian travellers.
The Skyscanner Travel Trend Report predicts that Singapore (among countries), and Bali (among cities), will be the most visited destinations in the new year.
In preparing the list, the company analysed 3 years of travel data of Indian outbound tourists, dating back to 2013. Examining search habits and changes in destination preferences over the years, 5 countries and 5 cities have seen the most consistent growth in international searches. View the full list below.
Among the international countries, Singapore tops the list with a whopping 202% increase in searches from 2013. The other four countries are Australia (67%), Malaysia (48%), Maldives (22%) and South Africa (11%).
Singapore is quite appealing to Indian travellers for a variety of reasons, including relaxed visa regulations, a diverse culture and its many tourist attractions. Add to that easy flight connections and an increase in multiple airline carriers flying to Singapore from India, and the growth is likely to increase even further.
Australia is a different story altogether. Despite the long flights involved and the fact that it’s an expensive country to travel to, as the 67% increase in travel searches indicate, this country has quite a grip on the imagination of the Indian outbound tourist.
While interest in Malaysia and the Maldives is understandable, given these countries’ relative proximity, South Africa has emerged as a surprise candidate for overseas vacations. To Indians, South Africa symbolises adventure, and it seems quite a few Indians are getting a nose for adventure!
Among international cities, Bali tops the list with a 35% increase in searches from 2013. The other four cities are Budapest (13.5%), Madrid (10%), Kuala Lumpur (5%) and Amsterdam (2.5%).
Bali has always been a favourite with Indians, and as with Singapore, relaxed visa regulations have made this island even more popular. Skyscanner’s search analysis shows that Bali is a favourite both for family holidays as well as for solo trips.
Similarly, Kuala Lumpur isn’t exactly a surprise, given its proximity, tourist attractions, great food and shopping. Budapest, Madrid and Amsterdam’s growing popularity is genuinely interesting, as it shows that Indians are willing to explore Europe deeper than tried-and-tested destinations like Switzerland, Rome, Paris or London. As in the past, Bollywood may have had a role to play in popularising these three cities: superhit films have showcased them as travel-worthy in the recent past. Don’t underestimate the power of pop culture on influencing travel trends!
Reshmi Roy, Skyscanner’s Growth Manager, had this to say, “In 2016, we saw the list heavily-dominated with South Asian destinations, in 2017 there has been a seismic shift to incorporate the near and far—from Australia to Europe. This is an indication on changing travel mindset as travel becomes simpler and easier.”