Indian travelers opt for international getaways on hometown vacations this festive season: Adana data, ettravelworld

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Indian travelers are taking their holiday celebrations global this year. New booking data from Ayrari, a rategain company, shows a sharp increase in international flight bookings as travelers choose destinations over traditional hometown visits such as Doha, Dubai, Bangkok and Bali.

Data increased by 350 percent of orders to Doha, Bangkok by 210 percent and Dubai by 149 percent compared to last year. Long-haul destinations are seeing similar momentum, with London bookings up 94 per cent and Auckland up 51 per cent. The findings suggest that India’s festive calendar is increasingly serving as a launching pad for global experiences rather than local ones.

Behind this change is the long weekly schedule, which is convenient for travelers to extend their vacations abroad. The concept of “international Diwali” is catching on as more Indians view the festival as a time to reset and explore rather than staying at home. The boundary between celebration and holiday signals an evolution in how Indian families and young professionals approach holiday travel.

Airlines, online travel agencies (OTAS) and travel platforms are fueling the trend with limited-time holiday fares, cashback offers and researched travel packages tailored for Indian consumers. With prices more affordable and planning simplified, international getaways are more accessible to a wider audience.

Meanwhile, local travel tells a mixed story. Tier-II cities like Hyderabad, Ahmedabad and Varanasi are witnessing moderate growth, but major hubs like Delhi (-26 per cent), Mumbai (-25 per cent) and Chennai (-17 per cent) have seen a negligible decline. This pattern reinforces the growing preference for foreign travel and shorter stays.

From long-haul airline tickets to the increasing availability of global routes, India’s festive season is turning into a season of ‘borderless celebration’ – their passports thrive by swapping Puja tiles at the departure gate.

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