How frequency, flexibility and experiences shaped travel in 2025

Indian travellers are reshaping how they plan, spend, and experience holidays. Data from travel platforms shows a shift away from long, annual vacations toward shorter, more frequent trips that prioritise personal experiences and flexible planning.

Frequent travel becomes the norm

Scapia’s 2025 insights indicate that Indian travellers are moving from episodic to continuous travel. Flight bookings grew fivefold, stays increased eight to nine times, and card spending occurred across 113 currencies in 174 countries, reflecting a global travel footprint.

Anil Goteti, Founder and CEO, Scapia, said, “Travel has become a continuous mindset. People are weaving multiple, shorter trips into their year, anchored around experiences that matter to them.”

Cleartrip’s Long Weekend Tracker, which integrates all 2026 long weekends into Google Calendar, encourages travellers to plan trips early.

Govind Bansal, Head of Marketing, Cleartrip, noted, “By embedding planning into everyday routines, we aim to keep travel top of mind throughout the year.”

Travel expands beyond metros and traditional destinations

Domestic travel is reaching offbeat locations such as Ziro (Arunachal Pradesh), Pakyong (Sikkim), Jagdalpur (Chhattisgarh), and Pasighat (Arunachal Pradesh). Internationally, destinations like Barbados, Luang Prabang, and Tashkent are gaining traction.

Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities are driving growth, with international flight bookings by women tripling in 2025.

Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and Central Asia are emerging as preferred international circuits. Bali, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Singapore, Vietnam, UAE, Qatar, Oman, and Almaty recorded strong year-on-year growth in bookings.

Rajnish Kumar, Group Co-CEO, ixigo, said, “Improved connectivity, new experiences, and favourable climates are making these regions increasingly attractive for Indian travellers.”

Digital payments, rewards, and forex enable flexible travel

Rewards points and digital payments are supporting travel spending.

On Scapia, nearly 50% of train bookings and 60% of bus bookings were funded entirely through reward redemptions.

BookMyForex reported significant growth in currency-specific purchases, led by the Vietnamese Dong and Japanese Yen, which rose 139% and 118% year-on-year, respectively.

Gagan Malhotra, COO, BookMyForex, observed, “Travellers are moving from blanket forex purchases to destination-specific currencies and reload-led usage, reflecting more intentional planning.”

Dhruv Verma, Founder and CEO of Thriwe, said 2025 marked a shift from traditional, points-led loyalty programmes to more lifestyle-driven travel ecosystems.

According to him, travellers are prioritising what he described as “identity travel”, where journeys align closely with personal interests and life stages.

Verma noted that millennials are showing interest in spiritual retreats and boutique stays, while Gen Z is driving demand for event-led travel, including trips centred around major concerts and cultural gatherings.

Experience and personalisation drive travel choices

Indian travellers are moving away from fixed packages. Pickyourtrail data shows that customised itineraries, including date changes, route adjustments, and personal activity selections, are becoming standard.

Hari Ganapathy, Co-founder and CEO, Pickyourtrail, said, “Travellers are investing in experiences that matter, prioritising activities and moments over traditional sightseeing or luxury markers.”

Ebix Travel – Delphi World Money also notes a rise in bookings for cultural, adventure, and immersive activities, with searches for in-destination experiences up 24% year-on-year.

Rajesh Magow, Co-founder and Group CEO, MakeMyTrip, added, “Short-haul international travel continues to gain momentum, supported by easier visa access and emerging destinations.”

Short breaks and multi-modal travel gain traction

Data shows that shorter trips are replacing long holidays, with travellers combining flights, trains, and buses to create multi-modal journeys. Scapia projects that 48–72 hour trips will become mainstream, with destinations selected for convenience and repeatability. Activities such as scuba diving, adventure trails, and cultural experiences are increasingly influencing spending decisions.

Vinod Bondi, Regional Manager, PADI, observed, “Travel is being valued as an investment in meaningful experiences, not just leisure.”