These are the top holiday travel trends this summer

Last winter, Anand Kandadi, executive vice-president of Cleartrip, wanted to take a couple’s vacation at a villa with a private pool. A week’s holiday in Goa worked out to Rs 1.75 lakh. But in Koh Samui, Thailand, it cost only Rs 1.3 lakh. Unsurprisingly, he headed to Thailand. It is not just Kandadi. Many holidaymakers are making this year a summer of international holiday with overseas bookings up by 56% and average spend rising by 25%. Bali and Phuket remain the most popular international destinations.

Within India, led by evergreen Goa, beaches are hot favourites. Family vacations are rising at a healthy clip even as solo travel segment has slowed. Increasingly, upwardly mobile Indians are exploring new destinations, be they Hungary and Estonia overseas or Agartala in Tripura and Bekal in Kerala. “Growth in overseas travel is outstripping domestic. There is a clear structural lifestyle shift where people want to spend on holidays and experiences,” says Kandadi. ET Magazine partnered with Cleartrip, India’s third largest online travel booking platform, to find top holiday travel trends this summer. Here are some key takeaways: