Scapia’s booking data for the Gandhi Jayanti long weekend reveals changing travel preferences among Indian holidaymakers, with increased demand for domestic getaways, international breaks and premium accommodation. Couples, women and Gen Z travellers are emerging as key segments, while many holidaymakers are extending the three-day break into a four-day holiday by departing early and returning at the end of the weekend.
Couples account for approximately 60% of domestic hotel bookings and two-thirds of international hotel bookings, with both shares rising compared with last year. Women represent nearly two in five travellers and 41% of domestic flyers, while their share of international flyers has increased from 36.4% to over 38%. Scapia also reports that the number of solo women flying internationally has nearly tripled year-on-year, alongside a fourfold increase in hotel bookings made by women. Gen Z is contributing to this shift, accounting for nearly half of solo women travelling by bus and almost half of women booking overseas accommodation.
Goa continues to lead domestic leisure travel, with its share of hotel bookings increasing from 6.6% to 9.3% year-on-year. Heritage and hill destinations, including Udaipur, Jaipur and Mussoorie, are also attracting travellers, with Udaipur’s share of hotel bookings doubling. Spiritual tourism is gaining momentum, with Varanasi entering the top ten hotel destinations and its booking share increasing fivefold. Other destinations drawing interest include Ujjain, Haridwar, Rishikesh, Tirupati, Katra, Madurai and Amritsar. Meanwhile, Gokarna, Varkala, Puducherry, Munnar and Manali are gaining popularity among travellers seeking quieter escapes.
International travel demand continues to favour Southeast Asia, with Thailand, Bangkok and Phuket remaining popular choices for short breaks. Vietnam has emerged as a notable growth destination, with Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Phu Quoc and Da Nang featuring among the leading international picks after limited demand last year. Singapore has recorded nearly fourfold growth in its share of international hotel bookings, while Tokyo, Seoul and Taipei are also gaining traction among Indian travellers.
Domestic holidays remain relatively short, with most travellers returning within four days, while international trips are becoming longer. The typical overseas holiday now lasts around six days, compared with five days last year. International stays of four nights or more have nearly doubled, rising from 14% to 27%. Average international room rates have increased by 24%, with upscale and luxury hotels accounting for more than half of international stays, indicating a growing preference for premium accommodation.
Women are also showing a stronger preference for higher-category hotels. Nearly three in ten international hotel bookings made by women are for luxury stays, compared with approximately two in ten for men. Within India, women are more likely than men to select upscale hotels and less likely to choose budget accommodation. According to Scapia, the booking patterns for the Gandhi Jayanti break reflect evolving travel behaviour, with longer international holidays, premium stays, changing destination preferences and increased participation by women and younger travellers shaping the festive travel season.