According to the report, nearly 48 per cent Indians worked from home during the year, out of which a whopping 85 per cent preferred taking workcations or working away from home in a scenic location. And out of these, 61 percent took a workcation. Nearly 27 per cent took a month-long workcation

OYO has conducted a consumer survey to study travel intent and expectations among its user base across some of its core markets, including India, Indonesia and Europe. The year-end annual index ‘OYO Travelopedia 2021’ studies travel expectations and consumer behaviour.

INDIA

According to the report, nearly 65 per cent of respondents have travelled in the past six months and a majority of them visited their loved ones. India is a resilient country and with mass vaccination drives, travel intent and confidence is back. 60 per cent of respondents have planned vacations for the winter holiday season. However, most seem to plan their trip closer to the date. Nearly 31 per cent said they plan their trips a month in advance, whereas 26 per cent prefer planning their travel only a week in advance. This is a stark contrast from pre-COVID days. 

The hills vs beach choice is still balanced with 35 per cent of respondents preferring a trip to mountainous regions, whereas 24 per cent prefer beach destinations. But the highest takers at 53 per cent said they are very likely to explore offbeat domestic destinations. Roadtrips still continue to be a big hit among Indians. Over half the respondents said they would travel by private or rental cars, 35 per cent said they were just as fine to hop on a bus or a train, and a mere 14 per cent were happy to take a flight.  Hotels were the top choice of accommodation among users, with approx. 60 per cent opting for it, followed by a preference for resorts and waterfront properties by a lakeside, river or beach. 

44 per cent said they would, without a hitch, enjoy the new year with family and friends, another 44 per cent said they would love to travel with family and friends. Around nine per cent Indians also opted to go solo and travel - a soul searching this New Years. 

According to the report, nearly 48 per cent Indians worked from home during the year, out of which a whopping 85 per cent preferred taking workcations or working away from home in a scenic location. And out of these, 61 percent took a workcation. Nearly 27 per cent took a month-long workcation.

EUROPE

Similar to India, around 80 per cent respondents in the Netherlands and 51 per cent in Denmark travelled to mountainous regions across Europe. As per OYO’s consumer survey in the two regions, in 2021, the Dutch and the Danish mostly travelled for leisure, followed by business or work-related travel.

The data further highlights that Europeans chose to spend their holidays cozying up at home. Interestingly, unlike India, over 70 per cent of respondents from Europe said that they prefer planning their trips at least three months in advance. A majority of respondents in the Netherlands prefer taking a week-long travel break, whereas the Danish prefer taking longer trips spread across 10 days or more. Interestingly, unlike other countries, Europe is not prone to doom scrolling travel content on social media and instead get their travel inspiration from family and friends. 

In Denmark, the secluded countryside and towns were the top destination types, whereas, in the Netherlands, respondents opted for hilly regions. In addition, approximately 77 per cent of Dutch and 80 per cent of Danish respondents opted for road trips as their favorite way to commute. Clearly, over the past year or so, both regions have absolutely fallen in love with road tripping. The survey also indicates that Europeans have a preference for vacation homes over hotels. With the beautiful North Sea to the west and the Baltic Sea to the east, boathouses emerged as the second top accommodation option among the Danish. 

INDONESIA

As per the survey findings, leisure vacation and business-related travel were the top reasons why Indonesians travelled in 2021. A majority of respondents have already locked in their plans for the upcoming holiday season, indicating a steady bounce back in confidence among the people. A majority of respondents also prefer planning their trips at least a month in advance. However, compared to other regions, Indonesia prefers taking shorter trips, with 75 per cent of respondents indicating their preference for trips between one to three days. When it comes to stays, travellers have a strong preference for hotels as a key choice of accommodation.

Surrounded by beautiful beaches and islands, Indonesians indicated a preference for spending their vacations across beach destinations. Similar to other geographies, Indonesia prefers travelling by road. More than a third of the respondents opted to travel by cars or a motorbike.