Strong uptick in bookings for year-end travel: Delphi World Money report

Rise in leisure travel and experiential holidays

A report by Delphi World Money, a foreign exchange dealer, says that travellers in India are allocating a higher budget for travel for the year-end break, with experiential and leisure holidays dominating the demand.

There is a resurgence in consumer confidence, supported by a steady rise in spending on leisure travel, says a report released by foreign exchange dealer, Delphi World Money.

In a press statement, the company says that the report reflects on travellers planning in advance, exploring experience- led holidays and allocating higher budget for year-end getaway, which indicates a strong close to the travel calendar year. 

It says that the December flight bookings tracking 20 to 25 pc higher year-on-year point to a strong year-end travel season. The data reveals that Indian travellers are planning in advance and spending more on experiences. Average booking lead time for festival travel has risen by 10 to 15 pc, and has extended to approximately 23 to 25 days this year. The early planning mindset reflects the desire to secure better pricing during holiday windows, it says. 

“The surge in advance travel planning and experience-focused spending reflects a distinct shift in consumer confidence and travel behavior. Indian travelers are approaching the year-end season with purposeful intent to make their holidays count. We are seeing stronger demand across air travel and destination activities, driven by a renewed focus on quality experiences and culturally rich destinations,” says Ankur Sharmaa, Chief Business Officer, Ebix-Travel, Delphi World Money. 

The statement adds that itineraries with experiences have become a major trend. Searches for in-destination activities including adventure trails and cultural tours have risen by 24 pc as compared to 2024, which highlights the evolution of leisure travel from hotel stays to immersive travel. 

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It says that the travel preferences are also reshaping domestic landscape, with a 35 pc year-on-year rise in bookings for Jaipur-Udaipur in Rajasthan, and Kerala. The bookings for these destinations have outpaced Goa’s 15 pc growth rate. The momentum reflects shift in demand towards domestic holiday destinations across West and South. Northern leisure circuits, especially Kashmir, have seen a 15 pc decline, it says. 

The statement adds that seasonal winter getaways to alternative mountain destinations like Manali and Himachal Pradesh have risen by 40 pc year-on-year compared to 25 to 30 pc increase for coastal destinations. This highlights a balanced but evolving seasonal pattern of travelers wanting to seek winter experience while favoring accessibility and reliability, it says. 

It adds that the year-end travel season is defined by early planning and experienced led-travel and visiting culturally rich destinations while reinforcing Delphi-Ebix Travel’s role in customer-focused holiday experiences.