Skyscanner report finds Indian travellers seeking wellness, music and better value

MUMBAI: Indian travellers are ready to pack their bags, but the itinerary is getting a rethink. From fitness-focused hotel stays and music in unexpected locations to myth-inspired journeys and shopping for exclusive finds, holidays are increasingly about the experience rather than simply ticking destinations off a list. And with budgets still calling the shots, travellers are balancing bigger ambitions with a sharper eye on value.

Skyscanner’s Travel Trends 2027 report, released on 8 October, found that 58 per cent of Indian travellers plan to travel abroad more in 2027. Spending intentions are also rising, with 56 per cent expecting to spend more on flights and 44 per cent anticipating higher accommodation costs. Yet the pursuit of a better deal remains firmly in the picture: 67 per cent have already changed or considered changing a holiday destination to get better value.

Based on a OnePoll survey of 2,000 Indian respondents conducted in July 2026, the report identifies seven trends expected to influence travel decisions: Signal Severance, Pilgra-merch, Sten Do Surge, Grand Odysseys, Gymcation, Sound Bound and Currency Chasers. Together, they point to a shift towards holidays built around personal interests, cultural discovery, wellbeing and smarter spending.

“Indian travellers are entering 2027 with a stronger appetite to explore, but they are also becoming more considered about how they spend their time and money,” said Skyscanner India travel trends and destinations expert Neel Ghose.

He added that travellers were moving beyond simply deciding where to go and thinking more carefully about what they wanted from a trip, whether that meant switching off, discovering something new, staying active or finding better value. Technology, meanwhile, is helping them turn those preferences into practical travel plans.

For an increasing number of travellers, a holiday need not mean putting health and fitness routines on hold. Skyscanner’s Gymcation trend highlights how wellness is influencing accommodation choices, with 91 per cent of respondents likely to book a hotel offering breakfast options tailored to nutritional and performance needs.

Fitness facilities are another deciding factor. Some 53 per cent actively look for such amenities and may choose a hotel based on the quality of its fitness offering. The findings suggest that travellers are looking for stays that fit their routines, rather than having to abandon them the moment they check in.

The trend also reflects a broader shift in how travellers define a worthwhile break. A well-equipped gym, suitable food choices and opportunities to maintain personal routines can now matter alongside location, sightseeing and conventional hotel comforts.

Music is also taking holidays beyond the familiar concert arena. Under the Sound Bound trend, travellers are showing interest in experiences where the setting is as memorable as the soundtrack.

Some 43 per cent of respondents preferred carnival experiences, while 38 per cent were interested in unusual locations such as volcanoes, pyramids and caves. The choice of music remains important, with genre emerging as the biggest consideration for music-led trips at 27 per cent. Cultural immersion followed at 20 per cent.

The numbers suggest that travellers are looking for more than a performance and a ticket stub. For many, a music trip can combine a favourite sound with a distinctive setting, local culture and the opportunity to experience a destination in a different way.

The past is proving to be another powerful travel companion. Under the Grand Odysseys trend, 89 per cent of respondents said a historical event, classical story or myth had influenced their travel plans.

Historical figures were cited by 61 per cent, followed by architectural landmarks at 57 per cent and mythological legends at 52 per cent. Rather than treating heritage as an optional stop between other attractions, travellers appear increasingly interested in destinations that bring stories, legends and historical personalities to life.

That appetite opens the door to trips shaped by ancient narratives, iconic buildings and the places associated with influential figures. For travellers, the appeal lies not only in seeing a landmark but also in understanding the story behind it.

Signal Severance explores a familiar holiday paradox: people want to disconnect from their devices, but putting the phone away is easier said than done.

While 43 per cent of respondents said they needed time at the start of a holiday to stop checking their devices, only 23 per cent managed to switch off immediately. Nevertheless, 75 per cent believed going without their phones would help them feel more connected to nature, while 73 per cent said it would help them reconnect with themselves.

The findings point to a gap between the desire to unplug and the habit of staying connected. For some travellers, choosing a destination may therefore be as much about creating distance from digital distractions as it is about discovering somewhere new.

Certain destinations are already attracting greater interest from travellers seeking that break. Flight searches rose 166 per cent year on year for Pokhara in Nepal, 157 per cent for Agatti in India and 133 per cent for Phu Quoc in Vietnam.

These increases suggest that travellers are exploring locations associated with a change of pace, although flight-search growth alone does not establish why every traveller chose a particular destination.

For some, the souvenir hunt has become the main event. The Pilgra-merch trend captures the growing appeal of travelling to buy products that are unavailable elsewhere, turning exclusive merchandise and location-specific finds into reasons to book a trip.

The report found that 80 per cent of respondents had visited a particular destination or store to purchase an item exclusive to that location. The figure rose to 84 per cent among Gen Z travellers and 82 per cent among millennials. Nearly half, or 49 per cent, said they would be willing to fly for three to six hours to buy something unavailable elsewhere.

The appeal extends beyond bringing home a conventional souvenir. For these travellers, the destination itself can become part of the purchase, whether through access to an exclusive product or the experience of buying it where it is sold.

The Sten Do Surge trend points to a change in how travellers approach pre-wedding celebrations. Instead of sticking exclusively to separate stag and hen trips, many respondents favoured a joint celebration or a mix of shared and separate events.

Some 73 per cent preferred one of these combined approaches. Fun was the leading reason, cited by 64 per cent, while 53 per cent wanted to spend more time together before the wedding. Convenience mattered to 49 per cent and cost savings to 48 per cent.

The results suggest that pre-wedding travel is becoming more flexible, with groups weighing up the social appeal of celebrating together alongside the practicalities of organising a trip. Combining events can also help travellers manage schedules and costs, although the report does not specify how many respondents preferred joint celebrations over a combination of joint and separate events.

Currency Chasers captures the financial side of travel planning, with exchange rates increasingly part of the destination decision. Some 69 per cent of respondents said they always or often considered currency values when choosing where to holiday.

Value can even change the destination itself. While 67 per cent had changed or considered changing their plans to find a better deal, a further breakdown showed that 24 per cent had considered switching destinations. Among Gen Z travellers, 77 per cent had either changed or considered changing their destination for better value.

The report’s trending destinations list reflects growing search interest across international and domestic locations. Bishkek in Kyrgyzstan led the rankings, with flight searches increasing 748 per cent year on year. India’s Rupsi followed at 502 per cent, while Okinawa in Japan recorded a 279 per cent rise and Malvan in India saw searches climb 258 per cent.

Other destinations featured in the list were Tirana in Albania, Podgorica in Montenegro, Sandakan in Malaysia, Pokhara in Nepal, Bandar Seri Begawan in Brunei and Phu Quoc in Vietnam.

Search interest, however, is not the same as confirmed bookings or visitor arrivals. The figures indicate that more travellers were looking at these destinations, rather than establishing how many ultimately travelled there.

The report also identified destinations where economy-class return airfares had fallen year on year, offering another perspective on how travellers are looking to stretch their budgets.

Jaisalmer topped the best-value list, with return airfare prices down 43 per cent. Tashkent recorded a 30 per cent decline, followed by Kozhikode at 29 per cent and Jodhpur at 25 per cent. Baku, Cebu and Krabi each registered a 17 per cent fall.

The rankings compare flight searches and economy-class return airfare prices between 1 January and 17 June 2026 with the corresponding period in 2025, for travel throughout 2026. The price reductions therefore relate to the period covered by the analysis and should not be read as a guarantee of current fares or future prices.

Taken together, the rankings show how value-conscious travellers may be willing to reconsider familiar choices in favour of destinations that offer a more attractive combination of airfare and experience.

Technology is also becoming part of the travel-planning toolkit. Skyscanner reported that 87 per cent of Indian respondents were confident using AI to plan and book travel, while more than half planned to use it for destination research. One in two used AI to compare flights, accommodation and prices, and nearly two in five used it to book flights.

Confidence does not mean every concern has disappeared, however. More than half of respondents remained concerned about accuracy, highlighting the need for travellers to verify information before making bookings or committing money.

Social media continues to influence the early stages of trip planning. YouTube was cited as a source of travel inspiration by 78 per cent of respondents, while Instagram was named by 69 per cent. Meanwhile, 30 per cent were already using AI chatbots and tools to discover travel ideas.

Skyscanner pointed to tools such as Explore with AI, Price Alerts and Drops as ways travellers could develop trip ideas, track fares and identify opportunities to save. These are the company’s own offerings, but the wider finding is that digital tools are becoming more involved in the journey from inspiration to purchase.

For travellers planning 2027 holidays, the emerging picture is not simply about spending more or visiting more countries. It is about deciding what deserves the time and money: a wellness-focused stay, a music experience in an unexpected setting, a journey through history, a shopping pilgrimage or simply a few days away from the phone.

The next holiday may still begin with a destination on a screen. Increasingly, though, what happens after arrival and how much it costs to get there appears to be what makes the trip worth taking.