Indian Travellers Keen to Try Out Unique and Hosted Stays Study

Online marketplace for vacation rentals and other lodgings Airbnb has come out with their latest round-up of key travel trends in India, with the study taking place in the first half of 2021.

According to the round-up, Indian travelers continue to focus on domestic destinations, wherein they have been exploring newer destinations adjacent to metros, in the hills, and off the beaten path destinations that offer local experiences.

Searches for international locales are also rising as more countries start to lift restrictions.

The data also highlights how homestay hosts have benefited from renting their spaces, with both millennials and senior hosts looking forward to high earnings and growth.

More Indians are exploring flexible stays and unique accommodations when they travel

With Airbnb&rsquos Flexible Destinations option, travellers are finding out unique accommodations, from houseboats to domes to A-frames and even private islands. The option to search or book with flexible dates has got a huge response. The study also revealed that farmstays have been the most wishlisted accommodation type followed by cottages, earth houses and treehouses.

Read Homestays are the New Work Spaces

Goa remains a key domestic destination

Popular domestic destinations are still sought after for hosted travel. Goa continues to be the most searched-for destination for homestays followed by Delhi, Lonavala and Bengaluru, revealed Airbnb&rsquos internal data measuring searches by guests from January to June 2021.

Related Goa Through My Lens

Hosted travel is key across generations and demographic groups

With the popularity of hosted travel on the rise, even millenials are also opening up their places to welcome travellers. Interestingly,&nbspover 50 per cent of new Airbnb Hosts in India in the first half of 2021 were millennials aged between 25-40 years. The top five states where new hosts were based are Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh.

Consumer confidence in international travel continues to build

If you are wondering if the opening of travel bubbles with different countries has changed sentiment towards international travel, the round-up stated that searches for destinations such as Canada, UK, Europe and UAE were on the rise in the said period.

The future of travel is sustainable

One of the promising signs of travel in India is that there has been a rising interest amongst Indian travelers in making sustainable choices when they travel, the round-up revealed. A majority of guests have actively sought eco-friendly features in their chosen accommodations.

Related 6 Green Learning Holidays To Go On

Rise of digital nomads and a need to stay connected at all times

As the growing flexibility to live and work from anywhere continues, being able to determine a listing&rsquos WiFi speed before booking is a must-have for digital nomads. The WiFi speed listing feature on Airbnb is helping travelers book their perfect accommodation.

Also Read Digital Nomads The Future is Here

Commenting on these trends, Amanpreet Bajaj, General Manager - Airbnb India, Southeast Asia, Hong Kong and Taiwan, said, &ldquoDemand for travel is picking up, and the sector is showing positive signs of being able to meet the challenge of recovery. Indian travelers are ever-eager to identify unique accommodations they may not have experienced before. Travelers are also becoming increasingly aware of sustainable travel and of making environment friendly choices when travelling.&rdquo