{"id":21687,"date":"2025-09-21T18:57:59","date_gmt":"2025-09-21T13:27:59","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/pulseonline.co\/?page_id=21687"},"modified":"2025-09-23T22:04:16","modified_gmt":"2025-09-23T16:34:16","slug":"the-4th-edition-of-the-india-holiday-report-released-by-thomas-cook-sotc-travel","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"http:\/\/pulseonline.co\/index.php\/the-4th-edition-of-the-india-holiday-report-released-by-thomas-cook-sotc-travel\/","title":{"rendered":"The 4th edition of the India Holiday Report Released by Thomas Cook &amp; SOTC Travel"},"content":{"rendered":"<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Insights from 2,500+ respondents highlight India\u2019s 2025 travel trends<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\">85% survey respondents plan to increase frequency of holidays in 2025 &#8211; both short breaks and longer vacations<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\">84% plan to increase their travel spend by 20 to 50%<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\">60% seeking unique, experiential or bucket-list holidays <\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\">54% planning longer holidays &#8211; an increase of 5-10 days<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<figure id=\"attachment_21688\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-21688\" style=\"width: 188px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"http:\/\/pulseonline.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/India-Holiday-Report-2025-GRAPHIC-scaled.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\" wp-image-21688\" src=\"http:\/\/pulseonline.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/India-Holiday-Report-2025-GRAPHIC-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"188\" height=\"672\" srcset=\"http:\/\/pulseonline.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/India-Holiday-Report-2025-GRAPHIC-scaled.jpg 716w, http:\/\/pulseonline.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/India-Holiday-Report-2025-GRAPHIC-84x300.jpg 84w, http:\/\/pulseonline.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/India-Holiday-Report-2025-GRAPHIC-286x1024.jpg 286w, http:\/\/pulseonline.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/India-Holiday-Report-2025-GRAPHIC-768x2745.jpg 768w, http:\/\/pulseonline.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/India-Holiday-Report-2025-GRAPHIC-430x1536.jpg 430w, http:\/\/pulseonline.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/India-Holiday-Report-2025-GRAPHIC-573x2048.jpg 573w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 188px) 100vw, 188px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-21688\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">TC SO &#8211; Holiday Reoprt 25<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Thomas Cook (India) Limited, and SOTC Travel, have released their <strong>India Holiday Report 2025 <\/strong>\u2013 a comprehensive study capturing the evolving aspirations and travel behaviour of Indian consumers. The survey conducted across digital platforms covering over 2500 respondents (a combination of past Thomas Cook India and SOTC Travel customers, as well as non-customers) over a duration of one month, reflects a significant shift driven by rising disposable incomes and the growing aspirational value of travel, including experiential holidays.<\/p>\n<p>With <strong>85%<\/strong> of Indians planning to increase their frequency of holidays and a significant number intending to boost budgets by up to 50%\u2014the report paints a picture of a booming travel economy. <strong>Experiential and event-led travel <\/strong>such as polar\/ icebreaker cruises, music concerts, global sporting events, wildlife safaris, gastronomy and vineyard trails, stargazing camps <strong>and phenomenon travel<\/strong> (Northern Lights, Cherry Blossom, Midnight Sun, etc.) are at the forefront of Indian travellers\u2019 preferences. <strong>Phygital journeys<\/strong>, blending digital discovery with human touch-points, continue to influence and drive bookings. Additionally, travellers are showing a clear inclination towards <strong>longer holidays \u2013 both domestic and international<\/strong>. Today\u2019s new-age Indian traveller is also keen on <strong>spiritual travel, hidden-gems and distinctive accommodation like igloos, treehouses, chalets-chateaux\u2026<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><strong><u>Key findings include:<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><strong>Key Holiday Drivers: <\/strong><\/span>Travel has now become a necessity \u2013 an essential part of the Indian lifestyle and is driven by factors like:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Influence of Social media, OTT platforms and Movies<\/strong>: <strong>60%<\/strong> respondents indicated that social media, OTT platforms and movies are increasingly shaping their travel decisions<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Simplified visa processes and easy access:<\/strong> <strong>44%<\/strong> respondents are more likely to visit countries offering simplified visa processes like e-visa, visa-on-arrival or visa free options such as Thailand, Malaysia, UAE, Sri Lanka; while countries that issue long-term visas are also seeing uptick like the Australia, Japan, USA<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Enhanced connectivity: 43% <\/strong>Introduction of new routes and direct flights are significantly improving accessibility &#8211; fuelling travel demand not just from metros, but significantly from India\u2019s rapidly growing Regional Tier 1 &amp; 2 markets<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Indian consumers continue to remain value-seekers<\/strong>: <strong>39%<\/strong> prefer to actively seek promotions, highlighting the strong influence of discounts\/special offers on their purchasing decisions. Promotional campaigns &amp; 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<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Word of mouth<\/strong> still relevant: <strong>30%<\/strong> of respondents reported that recommendations from friends, family and colleagues continue to impact their holiday decisions<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><strong>Increased Frequency of Holidays and Longer Stays: <\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Holidays set to double\/Triple: 85%<\/strong> of respondents plan to increase their holidays from 2 per year to 4-6 trips annually<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Smart planning fuels mini-cations:<\/strong> <strong>47%<\/strong> of respondents intend to leverage long weekends\/ public holidays for short getaways<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Equally,<strong> Strong shift towards longer trips<\/strong> with <strong>54%<\/strong> respondents preferring longer holidays by extending for an additional 5-10 days, to create holidays of an average of 8-15 days<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><strong>Strong Holiday Spend Intent:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Approximately <strong>84%<\/strong> of respondents plan to increase their travel spends by 20-50% in 2025, with over <strong>18%<\/strong> intending to boost budgets by a significant <strong>50%<\/strong><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\">This mirrors a broader trend, where travellers are allocating more budgets to gastronomy, experiences and shopping &#8211; including premium outlets like McArthurGlen and Bicester Village<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><strong>Evolving Travel Companion Preferences:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Travelling together remains the preferred mode, with <strong>90%<\/strong> opting for company. Multigenerational families <strong>(65%) <\/strong>lead the chart, followed by couples <strong>(60%)<\/strong> and a rising segment\u2014\u2018frolleagues\u2019 (colleagues who double as friends) at <strong>28%; Solo at 10% <\/strong><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Family bonding trips on the rise<\/strong>: There&#8217;s been an increase in travel experiences focused on family connections, such as mother-daughter trips and sibling\/cousin holidays<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Growing subsets<\/strong>, including solo female travellers, also in older age groups and empty nesters, reflecting diverse companion preferences across demographics<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><strong>Experiential Travel Takes Centre Stage:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Close to <strong>75%<\/strong> respondents indicating strong interest for experience-led holidays<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Over <strong>45%<\/strong> of respondents are prioritizing <strong>phenomenon-based travel<\/strong> (like Northern Lights \u2013 Norway, Murmansk; Japan-S Korea\u2019s Cherry blossoms; Midnight sun \u2013Iceland, Russia) &#8211; a pivot towards bucket list experiences<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Uptick in Safaris, self-drives, outdoor adventures (32%)<\/strong><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Gastronomy<\/strong> <strong>(26%) <\/strong>reflecting &#8211; evolving palates and desire to experiment &#8211; with France, Spain, Australia, Thailand, Malaysia, Japan, South Korea<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Event tourism<\/strong>\u2014global music concerts, sporting events and festivals are also on the rise, aligning with a focus on entertainment-driven travel experiences (22%). Australia, Abu Dhabi, Thailand<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Spa-Wellness (19%) <\/strong>Relaxation &amp; rejuvenation seeing demand \u2013 especially in destinations like Thailand, Bali, Kerala<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><strong>Premium &amp; Luxury Holidays on the Rise:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Over <strong>36%<\/strong> respondents are opting for premium experiences like transportation via super cars\/bikes, luxury cruise holidays (Scandinavia, Mediterranean, USA), private island dining in Australia, upscale stays in boutique hotels, French chateaux\/Swiss chalets, heritage properties in India, glacier landings in New Zealand<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><strong>Destination Preferences:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Internationally, <strong>Europe<\/strong> continues to top the list (<strong>50%<\/strong>) led by Switzerland, France, Austria, Germany; Eastern Europe\u2019s Czech Republic, Hungary, Croatia emerging well. Short-hauls like <strong>Southeast Asia<\/strong> follows with favourites like Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore (<strong>46%<\/strong>); also Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Oman, Ras Al-Khaimah <strong>(37%);<\/strong> <strong>Japan &amp; South Korea<\/strong> <strong>(35%)<\/strong> and <strong>Australia-New Zealand<\/strong>\u00ad (<strong>26%<\/strong>); <strong>Island locales<\/strong> \u2013 Mauritius, Maldives, Bali, Sri Lanka <strong>(22%);<\/strong> South Africa &amp; Kenya <strong>(12%)<\/strong><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Central Asia\u2019s Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan<\/strong> (<strong>32%<\/strong>) signal growing interest for unique short hauls with easy access and affordability<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Morocco, Iceland, Greenland (8%)<\/strong> emerging on the radar<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\">For travel in India and subcontinent: Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand <strong>(55%)<\/strong> remain top favourites; North East (<strong>25%<\/strong>); Bhutan <strong>(32%);<\/strong> Rajasthan &amp; Kerala (<strong>21<\/strong>%). Island\/beach escapes like Andaman &amp; Lakshadweep (<strong>3%<\/strong>); are also gaining strong momentum; Goa (<strong>13<\/strong>%)<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><strong>Increasing Demand for New Travel formats: <\/strong><\/span>Indians are increasingly opting for new and unique travel formats<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Cruises (<strong>45%<\/strong>), self-drives (<strong>35%<\/strong>) and scenic train journeys (<strong>20%<\/strong>) have entered the top three holiday travel formats apart from flights, as more travellers seek unique, curated, comfort-first experiences.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Cruises across domestic and international for both ocean and river options, are emerging as popular choices<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\">This shift reflects the growing appeal of slow, immersive travel over rushed itineraries, including sustainable options like scenic train journeys in Switzerland<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><strong>Booking Patterns:<\/strong> <\/span>Travellers are increasingly using a blend of digital platforms for research, contact centers and retail outlets for bookings, making phygital journeys a key driver of conversions<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>58%<\/strong> prefer a mix of online convenience with offline guidance (phygital), <strong>59%<\/strong> opt for in-person visits to tour agency or talking over the phone while<strong> 68% <\/strong>book online<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\">While digital adoption is growing, there remains a strong dependency on in-person visits to agencies, valued for the human touch, personalized guidance and expert recommendations<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">Travellers Equally Divided Across Travel Styles<\/span>:<\/strong> The report reveals a near-equal distribution in travellers preferences for type of holidays<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>35%<\/strong> prefer partially guided tours, valuing a balance of structure and autonomy<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>33%<\/strong> respondents opted for fully packaged and guided tours, seeking a seamless, worry-free experience. Interestingly an equal number of respondents <strong>(32%)<\/strong> opted for entirely self-planned journeys<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><strong>Sustainability focus<\/strong>:<\/span> <strong>37% <\/strong>of respondents are increasingly prioritizing sustainability and eco-conscious practices in their travel choices<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">Impact of AI &amp; Tech on Travel Planning<\/span>: <\/strong>The rise of AI and technology is transforming travel planning, with 3<strong>5%<\/strong> of travellers using digital platforms for research, bookings and itinerary planning<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Rajeev Kale, President &amp; Country Head \u2013 Holidays, MICE, Visa, Thomas Cook (India) Ltd.<\/strong>, said, &#8220;The Indian traveller story is no longer just about destinations\u2014it\u2019s a reflection of evolving lifestyles and rising aspirations. Our Holiday Report 2025 clearly signals the emergence of a bold, experience-first traveller mind-set. Indians are not only travelling more, but also increasing spends &#8211; choosing depth, discovery and emotion over traditional sightseeing tours. While multigenerational family segments continue to lead, we are seeing strong emergence of new travel subsets like frolleagues and solo travellers. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Our Holiday Report 25 reflects a strong shift towards offbeat travel and emerging destinations like phenomenon travel &#8211; whether it&#8217;s experiencing cherry blossoms in Japan\/South Korea or witnessing the midnight sun in Scandinavia\/Russia. At Thomas Cook, we\u2019re excited to witness the rapid evolution of Indian travellers and are curating exciting holidays that reflect this experience-first outlook.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>SD Nandakumar, President &amp; Country Head &#8211; Holidays &amp; Corporate Tours &#8211; SOTC Travel,<\/strong> said, \u201cOur Holiday Report 2025 reflects evolving travel formats, with Indians moving away from rushed itineraries in favour of comfort-first, immersive experiences. Slow travel is seeing an uptick, with river and ocean cruises and sustainable rail journeys offering unique opportunities for exploration. Additionally, spiritual\/pilgrimage tourism is on the rise \u2013 with our \u2018darshans\u2019 portfolio coupled with adventure tourism is gaining popularity \u2013 interestingly from young India\u2019s millennials and GenZ.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Booking behaviours have also shifted\u2014while Indians are researching online, they continue to value expert guidance, making SOTC\u2019s phygital approach a key driver of trust and convenience. At SOTC, we\u2019re proud to offer experiences to suit every Indian traveller segment. With over 75 years of experience and a deep understanding of Indian travellers\u2019 evolving needs, SOTC ensures that every journey is memorable and enriching.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The Thomas Cook India and SOTC Travel\u2019s India Holiday Report 2025 showcases the Companies\u2019 commitment to understanding evolving traveller preferences and catering their offerings accordingly. While the 2025 findings delve deeper into emerging patterns, the consistent trend line from 2023 to 2025 is unmistakable: India is travelling more, spending more and wanting more from every holiday<strong>.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">* Values may exceed 100% because of multiple-choice responses<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Insights from 2,500+ respondents highlight India\u2019s 2025 travel trends 85% survey respondents plan to increase frequency of holidays in 2025 &#8211; both short breaks and longer vacations 84% plan to increase their travel spend by 20 to 50% 60% seeking unique, experiential or bucket-list holidays 54% planning longer holidays &#8211; an increase of 5-10 days&#8230; <\/p>\n<div class=\"link-more\"><a href=\"http:\/\/pulseonline.co\/index.php\/the-4th-edition-of-the-india-holiday-report-released-by-thomas-cook-sotc-travel\/\">Read More<\/a><\/div>\n","protected":false},"author":18,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/pulseonline.co\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/21687"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/pulseonline.co\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/pulseonline.co\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/pulseonline.co\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/18"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/pulseonline.co\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=21687"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"http:\/\/pulseonline.co\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/21687\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":22052,"href":"http:\/\/pulseonline.co\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/21687\/revisions\/22052"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/pulseonline.co\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21687"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}