Indians give new meaning to 'quick getaway' as last-minute bookings jump this year
Indians are increasingly making last-minute travel plans for the New Year. Overseas destinations like Thailand, Vietnam, and Dubai are popular choices. Domestically, places such as Udaipur, Dehradun, and Jodhpur are also seeing a surge in bookings...
New Delhi: Where are people making last-minute plans for the new year heading to? Destinations like Thailand, Vietnam and Dubai continue to lead bookings when it comes to overseas destinations in the last few days of the year, but domestic ones such as Udaipur, Dehradun and Jodhpur are also seeing a considerable increase from the year ago. More people are booking late this year compared with last year, travel companies said.
In the last two weeks, destinations such as the Maldives, Dubai and Thailand led bookings, the same as last year, but traveller behaviour has changed significantly, said Hari Ganapathy, cofounder at Pickyourtrail. “Nearly half of all bookings are now being made within 15 days of departure, up from just 18% last year, signalling a clear shift toward last minute, impulse-led international travel.”
At Pickyourtrail, couples account for 64% of these last-minute bookings, underscoring more experience-driven travel.
Cox & Kings data show that last-minute international bookings made within 15–20 days of travel have risen by nearly 30% from last winter, with over 65% of them being for trips lasting under five days, said director Karan Agarwal. He said Indian travellers are prioritising value and convenience and Dubai and Vietnam have emerged as the most preferred destinations for festive-season travel, outperforming several traditional winter favourites despite being in peak season.
“Strong flight connectivity from India, streamlined visa processes, and the ability to deliver multiple experiences within compact itineraries have made both destinations particularly attractive for last-minute planners,” said Agarwal of Cox & Kings.
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Easy visa access, rising convenience and enhanced air connectivity are leading more Indians to book holidays late, said Rajeev Kale, president and country head for holidays, MICE and visa at Thomas Cook (India).
“As per our internal data, customised short-haul international holidays are on the rise for new year’s eve, with Vietnam and Dubai-Abu Dhabi leading the trend, followed by Malaysia,” he said. “Our domestic portfolio is also witnessing higher last-minute bookings compared to last year, especially for favourites such as Udaipur, Jaipur, Coorg, Shimla, Kasauli, Ooty, Rishikesh and Mahabaleshwar.”
On Ixigo, travel bookings for Jodhpur, Dehradun, Tirupati, Bagdogra, Srinagar and Udaipur are up 77%, 72%, 48%, 43%, 30%, and 33%, respectively, for travel during December 27-January 4, over last year. Dubai, Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore top the search lists on Booking.com for their proximity and visa-friendly policies, said Santosh Kumar, regional manager for South Asia at the company. “A standout this season is Phu Quoc (Vietnam), which moved from 54 last year to join the top 10 most searched destinations,” said Kumar.
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On MakeMyTrip, Thailand has emerged as the leading international destination for the new year period and has moved to the number one, overtaking UAE, for bookings between December 20 and January 5. Vietnam is the fourth most booked new year international destination this year on the platform, up from seven last year.
Cofounder and group chief executive Rajesh Magow said the domestic tourism growth story continues over the year-end and new year holiday period, with sustained demand across leisure and pilgrimage destinations. “Shorthaul international travel also continues to see momentum,” he said.
