Make the most of it

Vishal Suri, managing director, SOTC Travel, suggests that 2020 will be the year when travellers will be experimenting with the unusual, including short hauls and spirituality

New age Indian travellers are moving away from the typical traditional holiday plans and are constantly on the lookout for distinctive and off-beat experiences such as cruise, adventure, solo, knowledge-driven, cultural, rural and religious tourism. Every year, different trends emerge in the travel and tourism industry, which cater to the desires of wanderers. Here are some trends that are set to revolutionise the tourism industry in 2020.

Technology in travel

Through smartphones and social media, a number of tools and technologies are influencing the way people travel and industry players operate worldwide. The travel sector has grown tremendously due to digital advancements like AI (Artificial Intelligence), voice-based applications, big data analytics, VR (Virtual Reality) and AR (Augmented Reality). This will introduce a new segment of tourism in India — virtual tourism. If through smartphone technology, a traveller can have all the pertinent information s/he needs to have about the trip, through AR, a traveller will be able to teleport herself/himself to the farthest corner of the world. Indian travellers are largely looking for convenience while also increasingly becoming bolder in their pursuit for exploration. Hence, travellers, especially those belonging to the Gen Y and the Gen Z, will adapt to it enthusiastically.

Micro trips

Indians are increasingly showing an intensified appetite for mini escapes of three to five days to a fairly nearby destination, commonly known as short hauls. With the increasing connectivity of flights, on-arrival visa facilities, on-demand car rentals, budget accommodation, increasing levels of disposable income, an irresistible appetite for exploring the world as well as current fast-paced lifestyles, these short hauls will be gaining more traction. They will become the ‘most preferred type of holiday’ among a large number of travellers. In 2020, more international destinations will become the favourites in the sphere of bite-sized travel.

Personalisation and customisation

Indian travellers are actively moving away from the traditional and rigid travel itinerary structures and with the rising internet penetration, they are exposed to and are fervently seeking unique and novel experiences that they wish to explore. Tourists today don’t just want to visit a new destination, they want to immerse themselves in the local culture, soaking in the atmosphere, cuisine and other elements that are unique to that region. Customising travel plans as per their own desires helps such tourists make instant and on-the-go decisions about the holiday, which include a variety of activities too. Personalisation and customisation of travel plans is thus a trend that is going to rule 2020.

Bleisure travel

Commonly known as bizcation, bleisure travel combines both travel for work or business and leisure, which is going to take the lead in 2020. Today, Indian travellers place greater emphasis on viewing the world and they don’t want to let go of any opportunity for the same. With the newer generation of travellers stepping into the workplace and jet-setting off on work-related trips, they will be enterprising in their approach to make the most of their journey and tick off another destination on their bucket list. Professionals will be increasingly adding weekends or even weeks to work trips, whether solo, with a partner or family.

Mini moon

With most of the newly-married populace leading busy lives, it’s difficult for them to take off for a large chunk of time for their honeymoon. Thus ‘mini-moon’ travel will be a new and growing option for them as it offers a relaxed experience in a minimal amount of time. Through this, the couples can still have the best experience during a honeymoon right after their big day, followed by planning a long haul vacation later, in the future.

Adventure tourism

It has been observed that Indians have become bolder in their vacation choices with a large number of travellers actively opting for travel that ensures an adrenaline rush. Thus adventure tourism, which has been picking up steam during the last year, will reach new heights in 2020. With the spike in demand for this type of tourism, many destinations, both domestic and international, are making appropriate arrangements for thrill-seekers and are introducing newer adventure sports.

Spiritual travel

One of the biggest travel trends, which is expected to grow manifold in 2020, is spiritual travel. Leisure combined with spiritual journeys is witnessing an increased demand not just from the older generations but also from the younger travellers who are interested in seeking spiritual harmony. Travellers will want to incorporate spiritual places or healing retreats, both nationally or internationally in their trips in the coming year. India being an important centre of religious history has a number of destinations that will see a surge in interest from Indian and international tourists. More Indians will opt to travel to pilgrimages and popular religious cities.

Cruise travel

The sector has witnessed double-digit growth in the recent times. This is not limited to just families or new couples as even younger travellers are opting for cruise holidays over other traditional vacation spots. Given that cruises are becoming extremely stylised and offering multi-destination routes along with a range of amenities including adventure activities, entertainment shows, and authentic cuisines, they are sure to be included in more travel itineraries. More cruise companies will be offering affordable packages as there will be a surge in interest from varied segment of travellers who wish to experience this type of travel.