The New Year marks a time for fresh beginnings, inspiring many to travel and rejuvenate for the journey ahead. While hill stations continue to see a surge in bookings as usual, this year also brings a growing interest in coastal getaways and spiritual retreats, as travelers seek both relaxation and blessings to start anew. 

“As 2024 comes to an end, we are observing a surge in new year travel plans. Indians are increasingly looking to venture out and explore beyond the ordinary. Popular cultural hotspots such as Udaipur and Jaipur are experiencing an uptick in searches. Similarly, there is a surge in demand for hill stations like Manali, Munnar and Ooty, followed by the coastal towns of Puducherry and Goa. Highlighting the sustained desire for spiritual experiences, Varanasi is among the top ten most searched destinations this winter season. Overall domestic searches have increased by 40-100% as compared to the same period last year,” says Santosh Kumar, Country Manager at Booking.com

According to Anuj Rathi, Chief Business and Growth Officer, Cleartrip, “The top domestic destinations for year-end travel among travelers include Udaipur, Jaipur, Varanasi, Manali, Amritsar, Ooty, Munnar, Mussoorie, and Pondicherry. Port Blair has also emerged as a new favourite destination.” 

There has been a significant increase in hotel prices in Manali (3.7x), Amritsar (2.6x), Pondicherry (2.2x), Varanasi (2.2x), and Mussoorie (2.1x) compared to the same period last year. On the other hand, airfares to Port Blair (1.4x), Mussoorie (1.3x), Udaipur (1.1 x), Varanasi (1.1x), and Jaipur and Manali (1x) have also risen compared to the previous year-end period.

“Gen Z travelers, in particular, tend to travel more towards the end of the year, with their total travel cost increasing by 20%. The majority of year-end bookings were made by travelers aged between 15 and 34,” says Rathi.

Zostel has seen a surge in interest for both popular and offbeat destinations this New Year, with travelers flocking to vibrant South Indian hotspots like Goa, Kerala, and Pondicherry, as well as exciting international destinations like Hanoi, Bali, and Spiti. “From lively parties and events in Vietnam to peaceful winter getaways in the Himalayas, our properties across India, Nepal are perfect for those seeking adventure, community, and meaningful travel,” says, co-founder and CEO Dharamveer Singh Chouhan. 

Preferred International Destinations 

Interestingly, Southeast Asia, Europe and the Middle East are emerging as top picks for international travel among Indians. “While Dubai, Singapore and Bangkok remain the top three most popular international destinations, we are seeing in rise in searches for destinations such as Baku (150%), Kuala Lumpur (130%), Muscat (150%), Lapland (125%), Danang (60%) and Tbilisi (60%) during this time,” says Kumar from booking.com. 

The introduction of new direct flights to Langkawi and Penang, along with increased flights to Kuala Lumpur, has led to a 2.3x surge in bookings for Kuala Lumpur for year-end travel. However, bookings for the Maldives have fallen by 54% compared to last year.

International travel plans 

Interestingly, Southeast Asia, Europe and the Middle East are emerging as top picks for international travel among Indians. While Dubai, Singapore and Bangkok remain the top three most popular international destinations, we are seeing in rise in searches for destinations such as Baku (150%), Kuala Lumpur (130%), Muscat (150%), Lapland (125%), Danang (60%) and Tbilisi (60%) during this time.