TripAdvisor has announced the results of the second edition of their annual India Travel Trends Survey for 2013 conducted among 3200 online respondents. Despite an optimistic disposition on their holiday plans at the beginning of 2012 and being upbeat about their holiday calendar even mid-year, people have actually cut back on vacation time in 2012. However, travellers continue to be bullish about their holiday plans for 2013 with 41 percent respondents planning to increase their vacation time next year.

The year that was

According to last year’s survey, 64 percent holidaymakers took an international holiday in 2011. At the beginning of 2012 people were confident of their travel plans and 85 percent respondents estimated they will take at least one international holiday. In reality however, international travel is much lower this year with 50 percent respondents who will actually take to foreign land. Domestic holidays taken this year matched traveller estimates at the beginning of 2012 and stayed stable compared to 2011 as well. 

• While only 7 percent travellers said at the beginning of the year that they will undertake lesser leisure travel in 2012 compared to the previous year, actually 28 percent actually took fewer holidays this year.

• 60 percent respondents made some kind of change to their travel plans of which 17 percent  cancelled a domestic trip and, 16 percent reduced the duration of their trip, 11 percent canned a foreign holiday,21 percent changed their destination and 10 percent traded an international destination for a domestic holiday.

On the Itinerary

• Shopping tops the list of holiday activities followed closely by nature sightseeing. Next in line favourites is architectural/historical/cultural sightseeing and visiting religious sites. One-third respondents partied away on holiday and 27 percent chose to unwind at a spa. 

• A notable 40 percent respondents claimed to have indulged in adventure sport/outdoor activity on holiday this year while 8 percent experienced an extreme sport. Camping, hiking and white water rafting/kayaking emerged as the three most favourite adventure activities this year.

The Grinch Who Stole Holidays

A number of factors played spoilsport for holidaymakers this year, of which inflation, high airfares and lack of leaves were primary.

• At the start of 2012, 44 percent respondents thought they would spend more on their holidays this year compared to 2011.  However, 56 percent actually stretched their budget beyond last year’s. The top three factors holidaymakers attributed their increased spend to were:

- Higher hotel room costs

- Significantly higher air fares

- Higher cost of eating out on holiday

• Those who took fewer holidays this year compared to 2011 cited not getting leaves from work and holidays plans clashing with official/personal commitments as the biggest reason. The next key factor was high inflation eating into holiday budget and high airfares.

• 60 percent respondents claimed they made some change to their travel plans in 2012. The top three reasons according to them for altering travel plans were:

• Expensive flight tickets

• Alternate plans clashing with travel dates

• Not getting leaves from work

• • Respondents looking at fewer holidays in 2013 expect inflation and lack of leaves to be their top vacation impediments next year too.
  • Besides those that simply plan to take more holidays next year, holiday goers who think they will spend more in 2013 believe higher airfares and higher hotel room costs to be the top two things that will burn a hole in their pocket.
  • 25 percent respondents said they will choose destinations next year where they can reach by road or train to avoid expensive airfares

   

Upbeat Vacation Outlook for 2013

• 80 percent respondents claimed that they will take same or more holidays in 2013 compared to  this year of which 41 percent think their leisure holidays will increase.

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