Surge in Indian International Travel: UAE and Thailand Still Top Picks

More Indians are taking trips to international destinations, with the number of people taking two or more trips in a year growing by 32%, MakeMyTrip said in a report analyzing data from June 2023 to May 2024. The growth is as high as 37%. For Indian travelers undertaking three or more international journeys in a year.

While cities like Bangkok and Dubai were the most visited foreign destinations for Indians this year, new destinations like Baku (Azerbaijan) and Almaty (Kazakhstan) have seen meteoric rise. According to a report titled ‘How India Travels Abroad’, travel searches to Almaty and Baku have increased by 527% and 395% respectively. Other major emerging destinations are Hong Kong, Colombo and Tokyo.

The top ten most searched countries, led by the United Arab Emirates and Thailand, remain the same this year as in 2023, contributing 64% of all international searches on the platform. The two Asian countries account for 31% of total searches. Maharashtra, Karnataka and Delhi lead the rankings for international travel searches.

“Consolidated search volume for the top 10 growing destinations increased by 70%… The overall contribution of searches to emerging destinations on our site increased from 10% to 14%, indicating that Indians are exploring new global destinations,” MakeMyTrip said.

The report said international travel search volumes remained relatively stable across all seasons, with December being the most active month for international travel searches.

Also, with a 10% growth in searches for business class flights in the international segment, interest in luxury travel is increasing among Indians. About 50% of international hotel bookings are above the per night rate bracket of Rs. 7,000, Indians are also looking for pocket-friendly experiences.

Fifty-five percent of all trips to international destinations are for leisure, followed by 33% to visit friends and relatives. Thailand is a favorite holiday destination for Indians. An impressive 44% of international travelers from West Bengal chose Thailand as their overseas destination. Other top holiday destinations for Indian travelers include the United Arab Emirates, Europe, Indonesia, Singapore and Vietnam.

“With increasing disposable income, greater exposure to global cultures and ease of travel, more Indians are exploring domestic and international destinations for leisure and business,” said Rajesh Magov, Co-Founder and Group CEO, MakeMyTrip.