Summary of this article
Indians choose travel experiences reflecting personal passions.
AI tools simplify trip planning and destination selection.
Jorhat and Jaffna emerge as trending destinations.
Travel is becoming a way of self-expression rather than sightseeing, claims Skyscanner's recent Travel Trends Report. The report highlights how Indians are transforming travel in terms of their hobbies like beauty, books, food, and family, rather than merely checking off attractions.
Three out of five Indians intend to travel more in 2026, and many are willing to spend the same amount or even more on air travel (58 per cent), stay (49 per cent), and car rentals (35 per cent). However, they are cautious planners and consider food (63 per cent), airfare costs (60 per cent), stay options (56 per cent), and visa regulations (48 per cent) while planning their vacations.
Emerging Travel Themes
The study pinpoints seven travel trends that capture this individual transformation.
Destination Check-In: 82 per cent of Indians increasingly select a stay so distinctive that it becomes the highlight of the journey, ranging from design-led hotels to boutique escapes.
Shelf Discovery: Foreign supermarket shelves are the new local life, as 8 out of 10 travellers venture in to sample a country's daily flavours.
Glowmads: 57 per cent shop for beauty and skincare products while abroad, and almost half choose wellness-experiential destinations.
Altitude Shift: Mountains are becoming the hub of attraction, with 92 per cent of Indians aspirating for Alpine getaways and mountain treks over over-crowded beaches.
Other popular trends are Family Miles (inter-generational travel), Catching Flights & Feelings (friendships and attachment through travel), and Book-bound(literature-inspired trips).
AI Takes the Wheel
A striking 86 per cent of Indian travellers say they are comfortable using artificial intelligence (AI) tools for planning and booking. Using AI tools which curate destination ideas with matching flight options, making trip planning more intuitive, is becoming a go-to for most travellers.
Destinations on the Rise
According to search trends, Assam's Jorhat and Sri Lanka's Jaffna are two of the leading trending destinations, with 493 per cent and 325 per cent spikes in searches. For budget-hunters, Tirupati in India and Langkawi in Malaysia lead the value-for-money list, with prices falling 18 per cent and 17 per cent.
Indian travellers are looking for in-depth, real experiences and avoiding crowded areas. Travel is no longer about escaping life. It is about discovering meaningful connections while experiencing it.
