Bengaluru : Indians travel far and wide for their yearly unwind, and with the Christmas and New Year holidays just around the corner, travel demand this season is witnessing a significant surge, with many heading to cooler destinations and emerging hotspots. According to ixigo Flights, international flight bookings are up 40-45% YoY, while domestic searches in December have risen 45-50% MoM. AbhiBus data shows bus searches have crossed 100% YoY, highlighting the demand for both mountain escapes and popular leisure spots.
India Chases the Chill: Winter Destinations Dominate Year-End Travel
Cooler getaways are driving India’s year-end travel rush, with Srinagar seeing over 100% MoM growth in December flight searches, alongside strong traction for Dehradun at 54% and Jammu at 39%. Bus routes into North India’s winter belts are also surging, with Mussoorie, Manali, and Dehradun recording over 100% YoY growth in bus searches. Together, flight and bus trends show that mountains are nearly five times more in demand than beaches this holiday season.
Coastal & City Escapes Hold Steady Even as Mountains Lead
Beaches continue to hold steady, even as cooler destinations dominate. Goa remains one of the top picks with MoM flight searches up by 67% in December, supported by 30-35% YoY rise in bus searches. MoM flight searches to Port Blair (38%), Udaipur (32%), and Jaipur (24%) continue to climb in December, reflecting strong demand. Bus searches to Vizag are also up by 55-60% YoY.
India Takes Off: Southeast Asia Tops, Middle East Becomes the New Holiday Favourite
International travel is witnessing a strong surge, led by short-haul Southeast Asian favourites and fast-rising Middle Eastern and Central Asian hotspots. Bali has recorded over 100% YoY growth in bookings, while Sri Lanka is up 63%, Thailand 37%, Singapore 36% and Vietnam 23%, driven by relaxed visa rules, attractive fares and quick beach getaway appeal.
At the same time, emerging destinations across the Middle East and Central Asia are climbing rapidly, with Almaty, the UAE and Uzbekistan each growing 40-42% YoY in bookings, followed by Qatar at 35% and Oman at 32%, signalling a clear shift towards newer, value-driven international holidays.
Spiritual Journeys Soar This December
Spiritual travel is also seeing strong holiday demand, with flight bookings to Varanasi, Tirupati, and Ayodhya up by 25-30% YoY. Bus searches to temple towns like Srisailam, Bhadrachalam, Tirupati, Kurnool and Kadapa are up by 50-55% YoY, highlighting the enduring appeal of religious trips during the winter season.
Speaking on this, Rajnish Kumar, Group Co-CEO, ixigo, said, “Indians are embracing diverse winter escapes more than ever, from mountain retreats and coastal getaways to spiritual journeys and emerging international hotspots. Improved connectivity, new experiences, favourable winter climates, and ongoing holiday offers and discounts are making destinations across Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Central Asia strong alternatives, reflecting a growing appetite for unique, offbeat holidays this holiday season.”
