Over Half of Indian Holiday Travelers Search and Shop Online

Digital sources play a key role in planning Indians' most significant leisure trip (the trip with the most money spent and the longest duration). According to a new Phocuswright report (available for Asia Pacific and Global Edition subscribers), holiday travelers rely on a range of information sources, but websites via computer were the most common, with 54% of travelers going online to search and shop for travel components. Indian Holiday and Packages Market: Now Empowered, Travelers Take Control shows that travelers were nearly as likely to shop via smartphone (40%), underlining the substantial influence mobile websites and applications are having on travel planning.  

An analysis of payment methods, however, indicates that nearly four out of 10 prepackaged holiday travelers used an online payment method. While the payment distinction is important within the travel industry, travelers themselves are often unclear on what constitutes an online booking.  

"With so much time spent researching online, especially for holidays, travelers are increasingly getting convinced that they are also paying online," said Phocuswright's research analyst, Asia Pacific, Chetan Kapoor. "But a whole lot of them are still reserving through call centers or visiting storefronts to make payments. Indian travelers use the best of both worlds to shop and book their travels, especially when it's their most significant leisure trip of the year."  

As holiday travelers go down the funnel, they start moving back to offline channels. While price is most important, other factors such as trust, convenience, content, validation from peers or professionals are also big influencers when searching and shopping for travel components.  

Purchase Indian Holiday and Packages Market: Now Empowered, Travelers Take Control to better understand the consumer dynamics and preferences shaping Indian online travel growth.