Findings show the UAE and New Delhi as top choices among international and domestic destinations respectively

With the upcoming festive holidays, lockdown restrictions gradually easing in different parts of the country and activities slowly beginning to normalise, travellers are looking forward to their next trip home to visit and celebrate with friends and family or taking some leisurely time off after being indoors for so long. Booking.com has shared key booking trends for India this festive season. 

With the international borders opening up, Indians are taking to the skies with the UAE, France and the UK being the top three most booked international destinations by Indian travellers between October 1 to November 30, 2021. For Indians travelling domestically, they are booking destinations across the country from the beaches of Goa on the west coast to the mountains and hills of Manali and Darjeeling up north. Hotels continue to be the top booked accommodation type by Indians travelling domestically. Besides hotels, Indians are looking to stay in alternative accommodations like guesthouses, homestays, hostels and apartments.

While other top international choices for travellers are Switzerland, Italy, Germany, Maldives, Canada, Russia, and Spain, other preferred domestic destinations for the Indians are New Delhi, Jaipur, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Kolkata, Manali, Udaipur, and Rishikesh.

“With the increased pace of vaccination and travel restrictions easing both within India and globally, we are seeing traveller confidence returning. As we near the festive season, travellers are starting to plan their next trip, be it back home to visit family or indulge in leisure travel with friends. While bookings are largely domestic, we are also seeing demand for international travel back on the agenda. And as the demand for travel continues to rise, as a leader in travel, Booking.com will continue to make it easier for people to experience the world in a safe manner. We will continue to offer the widest accommodation choices at great value so travellers can cherish the experience travel has to offer,” said Ritu Mehrotra, Regional Manager, South Asia at Booking.com.