New research as per the APAC Travel Index survey in 2022 highlights that Indian travellers are eager to make their travel dreams a reality in the next few months while keeping health and safety in mind. A robust 88% of Indian travellers are willing to share their medical history, current medical fitness and location tracking in order to potentially receive customized alerts on health concerns in the locations they are travelling to.

Personalisation In The Postpandemic World
One of the biggest trends to emerge in the post-pandemic world is personalization. Traveller preferences are intimately personal, and a one-size-fits-all approach no longer works with 80% of Indian travellers who are okay to provide more of their personal information to their travel partners in exchange for a more personalised travel experience.

Here’s a snapshot of how confident consumers feel about exploring the world again and their motivation to travel. The commissioned research, which polled 11,000 travellers from 11 countries and territories across the Asia Pacific, offers insights into the region’s travel confidence.

Top Considerations And Motivators For Travellers While Travelling
Exploring the overall considerations, motivators, and concerns of consumers across Asia-Pacific and how this varies across the region. According to the research findings, the desire to travel remains strong amongst Indian travellers, with safety (67%), cost (44%) and the variety of destinations and hotels/resorts (42%) being the top three considerations. When asked about their biggest motivators to travel, ‘assurance on health and safety’ emerged as one of the top motivators voted by 25% of Indian travellers, followed by 23% of Indian travellers having an intention to take a break from work and 20% of Indian travellers wanting a new accommodation experience.

Top Travel Deterrents Amidst Uncertainty
Unsurprisingly, uncertainty due to the constantly evolving COVID-19 situation continues to plague travellers. When asked about their top concerns and what would prevent them from booking a trip, ‘possibility of getting stuck because of frequently changing border regulations’ was listed as the top deterrent by 35% of Indian travellers (APAC 37%). This was followed by ‘travel cost’ and fear of having to undergo quarantine both at 33% each. (APAC average of 38% and 37% respectively).

In fact, the research findings put an increased emphasis on flexibility in travel bookings, as 89% of Indian travellers would postpone or cancel a trip if they saw a rise in COVID-19 cases at their travel destination.

Support Indian Travellers Expect From Accommodation Partners
While making travel plans, Indian travellers are also seeking support from airlines, hotels and online travel companies in order to travel with peace of mind. Based on The Travel Confidence Index, 49% of Indian travellers anticipate travel companies to provide them with guidance on what to expect from their trip as well as 48% of Indian travellers wanting easy access to customer support. 47% of Indian travellers are also seeking clear instructions on any requirements that airlines or accommodations may have and 47% of Indian travellers want access to flexible cancellation with clear refund information is another aspect Indians consider when travelling in peace.Ritu Mehrotra, Commercial Director, APAC at Booking.com says, “The findings highlight Indian travellers’ love for travel and readiness to explore the world once again. And while travel optimism remains strong, its inspiring to know that the intent to travel sustainably is also a key consideration for Indian travellers. The overall insights are a promising indication of the opportunities available for the industry to adapt and collaborate now to bolster the overall confidence of travellers, so we can truly make it easier for everyone to travel and experience the world again – now and in the years to come.”

Key Highlights:

• 89% of Indian travellers would postpone or cancel a trip if they saw a rise in COVID-19 cases at their travel destination
• 67% of Indian travellers feel safety is a top consideration when booking travel
• 62% of Indian travellers plan to book their next trip through digital travel companies
• Guidance on what to expect from travel, easy access to customer support and access to flexible cancellations and clear refund information are the top three types of support Indian travellers expect from travel providers