Lights, Camera, Travel: 94% of Indian travellers are inspired by movie and TV show destinations, reveals Skyscanner
Whether it’s gig tripping or visiting the realm of sleep, global travel site Skyscanner shares the latest trends shaping industry and traveller behaviour in its “Travel Trends: Redefining value through experience in 2024” report. Blending proprietary flights and hotels data based on millions of searches with an annual consumer behaviour study[1] and expert commentary, today Skyscanner reveals 2024’s hottest travel vibes and types, as well as the top 10 trending destinations and best-value destinations.
Data from the report reveals that film and entertainment has a significant influence on Indian travellers, with 94% of them inclined to taking a trip to a destination they’ve seen on the big or small screen. Moreover, close to half (43%) of the respondents rate the overall ‘vibe’ of a destination as important, when choosing where to go in 2024.
Among the four key travel vibes, set-jetting took the lead in India, as travellers sought to immerse themselves into the iconic location of their favourite shows, embodying Main Character Energy. Seizing the spotlight as the top destination that Indians are inspired to visit in 2024 is Manali, India, with travellers influenced by Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani, followed by Ladakh, again in India, which inspires 47% of the travellers to visit the mesmerising city as seen in 3 Idiots. Claiming the next spot is London in the United Kingdom, with 43% of Indian travellers seeking to add a royal flair to their life as seen in The Crown, and the enchanting city of Paris in France, with 42% of Indian travellers wanting to experience the city like Emily Cooper, as seen in Emily in Paris. In fact, following the launch of season 3’s launch at the end of December 2022, Skyscanner saw a 23% increase in searches from India to Paris in January compared to the previous month.
Just like Main Character Energy, Skyscanner data shows how the value of experiences is fuelling a range of other travel trends and vibes for 2024, with price no longer solely ruling decision-making:
- Gig tripping – One-third of Indian (37%) travellers would fly short haul to see their favourite artist live with a huge 79% considering attending a concert overseas instead in 2024 if it would help them save money.
- Budget bougie foodies – Indians are inherent foodies and Skyscanner’s research confirms the same, with 59% of Indian travellers having booked a destination purely based on a restaurant they want to visit. Osaka, renowned as ‘the kitchen of Japan’ with the fourth rank in the world for cities with the most Michelin stars, claims the top spot on Skyscanner’s global list for foodies on a budget in 2024, and is also one of the top trending destinations amongst Indian travellers.
- Destination Zzzz – Citing it as one of the top activities for their next holiday, Indian travellers really just want to visit the realm of sleep in 2024. Sleep health generally is a hot topic and 85% of Indian travellers are more mindful of their sleep health today compared to a few years ago. Moreover, 66% of Indian travellers have reported experiencing improved sleep quality during their holidays.
What’s more, the thirst for experiences that drive greater lifestyle value, Skyscanner sees these traveller types emerging in 2024:
- Analogue adventurers – In an age of always-on and constant hype, Gen Z are craving old-school analogue adventures that ditch the digital device in favour of how it used to be done. In fact, one in four (24%) Indian travellers aged 18-to-24-year-old now bring a Polaroid camera with them on holiday.
- Celebration vacationers – Indian travellers increasingly want to celebrate big milestones in style. 81% of Indian travellers have taken a group trip to celebrate a birthday or anniversary. That being said, it can be tricky to arrange group travel – from deciding on where and when to go, to agreeing on costs. 52% of Indian travellers said that finalising a destination is their primary hurdle when planning group trips, followed by deciding on the travel dates (48%), and agreeing on expected costs of the trip (45%).
- Luxe-for-less seekers – While price may always be a factor when it comes to travel planning, it seems Indian travellers are still willing to splurge on comforts. 37% of Indian travellers plan to upgrade their flight to business or first class in 2024, while 44% plan to purchase airport lounge access to get their trip off to a great start.
India’s Top Trending and Best Value Destinations
The 2024 report reveals that 86% of Indian travellers plan to take the same number, if not more, trips abroad in 2024 compared to 2023. The most buzzing destinations for Indian travellers in 2024 are Da Nang in Vietnam, loved for its pristine beaches, Almaty in Kazakhstan, a captivating destination in Central Asia celebrated for its stunning natural scenes, and Baku in Azerbaijan, known for its exquisite blend of historical and modern architecture[2]. On the other hand, Nice in France came out top overall, securing the highest spot for the Best Value Destinations category, followed by Geneva in Switzerland, Tokyo in Japan, and Manama in Bahrain[3] (full overview in appendix).
Commenting on the findings, Mohit Joshi, Skyscanner Travel Trends and Destination Expert said:
“The desire to explore and to make the best out of holidays with richer, more fulfilling experiences is evident among Indian travellers, as they (63%) are budgeting to spend more on travel in 2024. The strong demand for travel in India, coupled with the focus on cultural exploration next year, are reasons why a travel metasearch like Skyscanner can bring value to Indian travellers. Try the ‘Explore Everywhere’ search feature for example, to discover destinations ranked by prices. With our tools, travellers will realise that there are many ways to bag a bargain, so that allowances can be made to spend on the comfort they are after.”
Check out the full ‘Travel Trends: Redefining value through experience in 2024’ report here. Alternatively, a more comprehensive overview of the report can be found below.
ENDS
APPENDIX
The top trending destinations for Indian travellers[4]
| Trending | Destination | % Search increase |
| 1 | Da Nang, Vietnam | 1141% |
| 2 | Almaty, Kazakhstan | 501% |
| 3 | Baku, Azerbaijan | 438% |
| 4 | Osaka, Japan | 435% |
| 5 | Hanoi, Vietnam | 396% |
| 6 | Krabi, Thailand | 390% |
| 7 | Budapest, Hungary | 371% |
| 8 | Mahe Island, Seychelles | 356% |
| 9 | Auckland, New Zealand | 329% |
| 10 | Vienna, Austria | 316% |
The rise of short-haul destinations
Indian travellers have an appetite for short-haul travel, with 6 out of the top 10 trending destinations close by cities. Famous for its beaches, Da Nang comes out on top. They’re searching for Krabi and Mahe too, highlighting the appetite for relaxation and sunshine.
Far-flung destinations remain popular for Indian travellers too, with Osaka and Auckland trending. As a top foodie destination, Japan continues to make a comeback after reopening last year.
Destinations offering the best bang for travellers’ buck in 2024[5]
| Trending | Destination | % Price drop |
| 1 | Nice, France | 39% |
| 2 | Geneva, Switzerland | 28% |
| 3 | Tokyo, Japan | 27% |
| 4 | Manama, Bahrain | 24% |
| 5 | Baku, Azerbaijan | 22% |
| 6 | Kuwait City, Kuwait | 21% |
| 7 | Seoul, South Korea | 21% |
| 8 | Doha, Qatar | 20% |
| 9 | Dhaka, Bangladesh | 20% |
| 10 | Johannesburg, South Africa | 20% |
The importance of value
Value for money remains a key factor for Indian travellers, with the cost of the flight (26%) and attractions (18%) being the biggest factors determining the destination.
However, 63% of Indian travellers have budgeted to spend more on travel in 2024 compared to 2023, while 25% will spend the same. Only 7% have said they’ll spend less.
Over the past 12 months, flights to Nice in France have fallen by over a third, followed closely by Geneva and Tokyo. Travellers looking for a cultural holiday should consider Manama, which has dropped in price by 24%, while Baku is now 22% cheaper.
Travel hacks on Skyscanner
- Skyscanner offers travellers a unique ‘Everywhere’ search opportunity to ensure you can find the best available possibilities for your trip. So let the algorithm decide with a search to ‘Everywhere’, which will present a plethora of options based on your travel dates, all ranked by price.
Skyscanner’s ‘Everywhere’ search tool
- The ‘Whole Month’ search tool allows you to see cheap flights immediately and pick the right deal for you. Consider travelling a day before or a day after your original departure dates, flying on less popular days of the week is always cheaper.
Skyscanner’s Whole Month Search tool
- Mix & Match to save ₹₹: Mixing and matching the airlines and airports you choose to fly with to and fro, can seriously cut costs. To save more, flights don’t have to be booked as returns.
- Be Price Smart: When you find a flight you like, with a price you don’t, set up a Skyscanner Price Alert. It will watch the flight you are interested in and send an email or push notification when prices change. This is the best way to find a deal if you have a few weeks or months before you are planning to buy.
Skyscanner’s Price Alert tool
[1] Research conducted with OnePoll in August 2023 with a sample of 1,000 Indian respondents.
[2] Cities that have seen an increase in searches from India between 7/8/22-7/8/23 vs the same period in 2021/2.
[3] Average price for economy class return bookings (redirects) from India between 1/1/23-7/8/23 vs the same period in 2022.
[4] Cities that have seen an increase in searches from India between 7/8/22-7/8/23 vs the same period in 2021/2.
[5] Average price for economy class return bookings (redirects) from India between 1/1/23-7/8/23 vs the same period in 2022.
