My kind of holiday

Personalised immersives and digital recommendations determine vacation choices of 2018, says a survey

With the year coming to an end, Indian travellers are increasingly breaking patterns and opting for newer, authentic and immersive experiences. If a latest survey is to be believed, then travel is now a year-round activity, with families making the most of the off-season prices and avoiding crowded destinations.

Highly value-driven, we are slowly getting bored of the traditional, readymade packages. The new trend is the innovative “dynamic packaged holiday” in order to attract more cost-conscious and variety-loving customers.

Shorter and more frequent trips instead of a long annual vacation are on the rise, according to the survey by SOTC. One can plan for 16 long weekends in 2018. Popular international destinations for long weekends are Dubai, Thailand and Bali. But if you want to explore India, then Goa, Andaman, Rajasthan and Himachal Pradesh can be quickly done.

The digitisation of business and processes has meant better planning and buyouts. Since Indian tourists tend to book holidays at least 30 days/weeks in advance, maximum traction has been observed from Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai.

For experientials or immersives,  Vietnam, Korea, Japan and East Europe  are the top choices. The lesser known destinations such as Cyprus, Moldova and Azerbaijan are climbing the charts.

There are also the ones who prefer exploring one destination in depth rather than clubbing several destinations together. Consequently, the survey shows a rise in single destination holidays. Across Australia, eco-tourism experiences have been gaining popularity. Kenya’s eco-tourism facilities and wilderness have attracted wildlifers. Destinations like Turkey, Cambodia, Abu Dhabi and New Zealand offer great outdoors, local customs, warm hospitality, flavourful traditional cooking, stimulating art, intriguing architecture, unique cultural experiences and a holistic experience.

Customers often opt to travel to faraway lands like Japan to witness the cherry blossoms and Scandinavia to experience the Northern Lights. Self -driven tours allow travellers to experience the destination in a unique way, stopping as and when fancy strikes them, at quaint shops and wayside cafés or simply to admire, particularly scenery. With self-drive tours catering to all budgets and incorporating unique inclusions, local experiences customised to suit one’s requirement serve as a good option to travellers.

Accommodation options also play a crucial role. While hotels are the most preferred choice, Indians are warming up to experimenting with  and experiencing options like rental homes and apartments.

According to the survey, Japan, South America, Greece, Italy and South Korea are the emerging destinations for 2018. With the Winter Olympics approaching, South Korea will drive into the spotlight. East Asia will likely see an influx of visitors who will use Seoul as a launchpad to visiting the region. Other top global destinations include Italy, South Africa, France, Iceland and Australia, with Japan emerging as an untraditional multi-generational family destination.

But when it comes to planning your next trip, artificial intelligence and digital technology will come forward in leaps and bounds to help with smart destination intuition, reshaping the way we research, book and experience travel. The survey predicts virtual reality previews of destinations and entirely planned trips on data analytics.