India’s Year-End Travel Surges: Flight and Bus Searches Double in December

Winter getaways and emerging destinations drive year-end travel demand

Travel demand in India is rising ahead of the Christmas and New Year holidays, as many plan trips to winter destinations and emerging hotspots. According to ixigo Flights, international flight bookings are up forty to forty-five per cent year-on-year, while domestic searches in December have increased forty-five to fifty per cent month-on-month. Data from AbhiBus shows bus searches have more than doubled year-on-year, reflecting demand for both mountain escapes and popular leisure locations.

India Chases the Chill: Winter Destinations Lead Year-End Travel

Winter destinations are driving India’s year-end travel rush. Srinagar has seen more than 100 per cent month-on-month growth in December flight searches, with Dehradun up 54 per cent and Jammu up 39 per cent. Bus routes to North India’s winter destinations are also increasing, with Mussoorie, Manali and Dehradun recording over a hundred per cent year-on-year growth in searches. Combined flight and bus trends indicate that mountain destinations are nearly five times more in demand than beaches this season.

Coastal and City Escapes Maintain Interest

Beaches remain popular, though winter destinations are more popular. Goa continues to be a top choice, with month-on-month flight searches up sixty-seven per cent in December and bus searches up thirty to thirty-five per cent year-on-year. Flight searches to Port Blair, Udaipur and Jaipur are also increasing by 38, 32 and 24 per cent, respectively. Bus searches to Visakhapatnam are up by fifty-five to sixty per cent year-on-year.

International Travel: Southeast Asia and the Middle East on the Rise

International bookings are rising, led by Southeast Asian favourites and emerging destinations in the Middle East and Central Asia. Bali has seen over 100 per cent year-on-year growth, while Sri Lanka is up 63 per cent, Thailand 37 per cent, Singapore 36 per cent, and Vietnam 23 per cent. Factors include relaxed visa rules, competitive fares and short beach getaway appeal.

Emerging destinations in the Middle East and Central Asia are also seeing rapid growth, with Almaty, the UAE and Uzbekistan each up forty to forty-two per cent year-on-year, followed by Qatar at thirty-five per cent and Oman at thirty-two per cent, showing a shift towards newer, value-driven international holidays.

Spiritual Journeys Increase

Flights to spiritual destinations such as Varanasi, Tirupati and Ayodhya are up twenty-five to thirty per cent year-on-year. Bus searches to temple towns including Srisailam, Bhadrachalam, Tirupati, Kurnool and Kadapa have increased by fifty to fifty-five per cent, underlining the continuing appeal of religious trips during the winter season.

Rajneesh Kumar, Group Co-CEO, ixigo, said that Indians are embracing diverse winter escapes, from mountain retreats and coastal getaways to spiritual journeys and emerging international hotspots. He added that improved connectivity, new experiences, favourable winter climates and ongoing holiday offers are making Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Central Asia attractive options for offbeat holidays this season.