Almost 65% Indians plan to travel for leisure, adventure in 2021

With the rollout of COVID-19 vaccines, almost 65 per cent of travellers interviewed said they are keen to travel for leisure and adventure this year in an attempt to leave behind the monotony of 2020, according to a survey. While 2020 witnessed the rise of essential travel, the new and evolved 2021 Indians are looking for adventure and are keen on exploring new destinations, in an attempt to break away from the monotony of 2020, as the pandemic restricted movement, according to InterMiles second travel survey.

The survey revealed that the rollout of vaccines and pragmatic innovations across the travel chain seem to have contributed to this increase in consumer confidence as nearly 65 per cent respondents showed intent to travel for leisure and adventure in 2021.

The survey is based on responses received from over 11,500 InterMilers across India in January 2021.

Further, the survey found that after spending almost a year distancing socially, 54 per cent Indians said they want to travel to meet family and friends.

Business and corporate travel, which was anticipated to be one of the first segments to recover, is surprisingly third on the list of traveller priorities.

However, business travel is anticipated to pick-up through the course of the year, with 85 per cent consumers in favour of considering business or work-related travel in 2021, it stated.

Meanwhile, the workation (work + vacation) trend is also picking up steam in India with travellers looking for a change of scenery as they fulfill their work obligations.

Mirroring and supporting this trend, India is already seeing the advent of several backpacking hostels, budget-friendly work-centric rentals, campervans and workation packages, it added.

Around 39 per cent respondents said they are still not comfortable with any mode of public transport including taxis, autos, trains and buses.

While travel post-Covid has predominantly been dependent on visual and actual assurance through safety and hygiene measures along with travel advisories issued by destinations, 'flexibility' seems to be the new buzzword on the block, the survey stated.

Given the unpredictability and arbitrary nature of the Covid-19 virus, consumers want to ensure their travel plans are as flexible as possible at minimum cost, it said.

According to the survey, 64 per cent respondents look for flexibility to change dates before making concrete travel decisions, while 62 per cent look for last minute free cancellations, it added.

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