Most Indians keen to travel abroad in next six months: Survey

PTI, Apr 28, 2022, 4:40 PM IST

As COVID-19 related international border restrictions gradually ease over recent months, Indian travellers are planning their next trip abroad with almost three-quarters of respondents looking to do so in the foreseeable future, according to a survey by online accommodation platform Airbnb.

A vast majority of Indians surveyed, 75 per cent, reported having plans to travel internationally in the foreseeable future. More than a third of those (34 per cent) plan to do so in the next six months, Airbnb said in a statement.

The survey commissioned by Airbnb took response of 1,019 Indians by YouGov between April 13-21, 2022.

In terms of destinations, the survey found that almost 50 per cent of Indians were considering travel to Asia Pacific destinations, with Australia, Thailand and Indonesia topping the chart as the most searched destinations.

Over two years since the beginning of the pandemic, Airbnb said Indian travellers are now dreaming about their next international trip and ”more than 70 per cent of Indians are excited about being able to travel internationally”.

Interestingly, almost three-quarters of Indians who are currently working stated that they would like to combine work and travel while abroad, it added.

Also, almost 6 out of 10 Indians surveyed said they were more open to travelling internationally during off-peak times of the year than they were before the pandemic.

”As border restrictions gradually ease across many countries in the region, we’re seeing a lot of enthusiasm for cross-border travel,” Airbnb India, Southeast Asia, Hong Kong, General Manager Amanpreet Bajaj said.

After being unable to travel abroad for so long, many people are excited to take that long-awaited overseas trip – something we’ve seen reflected in the searches on Airbnb, following a number of border reopening announcements, he added.

According to the Airbnb survey, 51 per cent of Indian travellers believed that international travel remained an important means of expanding their horizons and connecting with other cultures.

”Almost a third of Indians (32 per cent) surveyed also noted that international travel plays an important role when it comes to connecting with their friends and family,” it said adding a significant number of those respondents looking to travel internationally also expressed a desire to experience off-the-beaten-path destinations they hadn’t visited before.