2024 has been a decisive year travel trendsYoung people are driving the market with their desire to jump, leap across the world without breaking the bank! From cheap bus travel to splurging on concerts, Indians have shown us that they intend to continue the well-travelled 2025! And Paytm’s year-end report ‘Travelpanti 2024’ sheds light on this!

Most Searched Destinations

Where did everyone want to go this year? Mumbai and Dubai! Both of these cities have emerged as top travel destinations, and demonstrate the desire among Indian travelers for urban experiences coupled with high-end leisure travel.

Affordable travel is booming among Generation Z

A remarkable 36% of all bus bookings on Paytm came from passengers under 25 years of age, proving that the younger generation is prioritizing experiences over luxury, and ensuring that they are on an experience. Travel more instead of spending more.

Also read: Astrotourism: With Nakshatra Sabha, India is reaching for the stars

concert tour Boom

Diljit Dosanjh, Karan Aujla, Coldplay, Bryan Adams, Maroon 5, Taylor Swift! 2024 gave us enough reasons to travel, or book our holidays for 2025! In fact, 2024 sees an incredible 44% increase in travel for music festivals, marking a shift towards an experience-driven economy. From local events to international festivals, it’s clear that Indians love to dance as they travel the world.

Festival and late night travel trends

Festivals continued to shape travel patterns, with bus bookings peaking during Chhath Puja and train travel reaching its peak over the Holi weekend. Independence Day was one of the busiest days for flight booking as travelers celebrated their independence with sky-high thrills. Interestingly, 30% of the bookings were made after 8 pm, highlighting the increase in last-minute travel planning.

longest journeys

The Dibrugarh to Kanyakumari route, spanning 4,189 kilometres, turned out to be the longest train journey of the year. Meanwhile, Paytm’s free cancellation feature became a traveller’s favourite, with over 8 million users opting for it – equivalent to the population of Ahmedabad.

Pilgrimages gain popularity

Turns out, now grandparents are not the only ones going to Tirupati. Pilgrimage sites witnessed a surprising increase in the number of young travelers, making spirituality a trending hashtag for the year.

Also read: From redoubling to dark tourism: the strangest travel trends of 2024

Offbeat destinations and visa-free travel

2024 sees travelers heading off the beaten path to places like Antananarivo, Madagascar and Lakshadweep. Visa-free travel also gained momentum, with destinations such as Almaty and Kenya becoming increasingly popular. The 15 long weekends in the year further increase the urge to travel, with many people opting for quick domestic and international holidays.

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