Mumbai : A survey of 1,000 Indian travellers by leading global travel search site Skyscanner revealed that 67% of men opted to book in advance in order to avail of cheaper deals whilst 55% of Indian women travellers preferred luxury trips.   The survey results indicated that men were keener on finding ways to reduce holiday expenses with more than half of the male travellers (51%) stated that they would scout for the most cost effective holiday deals to avoid holiday expenses from burning a hole in their pockets.  Women on the other hand were more intent on pampering themselves with 39% of lady travellers in favour of health and wellness trips as compared to 29% of the male travellers.

Skyscanner’s survey goes on to further reveal  that whilst 88% of women travellers chose shopping as a means of relaxation when on holiday, a little more than half of the men surveyed preferred to check out the night life.  Beach holiday destinations emerged as the popular choice for Indian travellers while backpacking turned out to be the least chosen holiday experience with only 184 travellers out of the 1,000 travellers surveyed opting for it.

Europe emerged as the destination of choice for younger Indian travellers with the older age groups of 55+ preferred the tranquil settings of Asian countries.  The survey’s demographic responses revealed that 35-44 year olds preferred relaxing with fine dining experiences, imbibing the local art and theatre offerings of a destination. In contrast, younger travellers in the age group of 25-34 preferred catching up with fashion shopping and partying.  Given the proximity to other South East Asian countries, it was perhaps no surprise that travellers from the North East of India were keenest on holidaying in Asia while North Indians were least in favour of travelling to Asia.

Kavitha Gnanamurthy, Skyscanner’s Market Development Manager for India, said: “While our survey presents some expected findings, like shopping and colder climates being the preferred choices, it also provides us with some interesting trends evolving amongst our Indian travellers. For instance, while men were intent on watching their purse strings, women were keen on indulging themselves with luxurious trips and spa treatments without letting financial worries weigh them down. It’s also interesting to note that only 6% of respondents said they would cancel

their trip if it took a toll on their savings – which shows how important holidays are to many people.”