Festive Travel Gets More Intentional: Indian Travelers Look Beyond the Traditional Holiday, Agoda Reports

SINGAPORE, Oct. 27, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- For Indian travelers, the October to November festive period is increasingly becoming an opportunity to combine celebrations with a change of scene. With Dussehra, Durga Puja and Diwali approaching, accommodation search trends on digital travel platform Agoda show travelers looking at a mix of international experiences and domestic leisure breaks. Based on searches made between August 1 and September 30, 2026, for stays between October 15 and November 30, Bangkok, Phuket and Tokyo emerged as the top three international cities searched by Indian travelers, while Goa, Puri and Udaipur were the most popular domestic destinations.

Asia remains central to the festive itinerary for international travel

International travel interest for Indian travelers is led by destinations across Asia, with Thailand, Vietnam and Japan emerging among the most searched countries recording 55%, 86% and 125% growth in searches respectively compared to last year. Sri Lanka on the other hand recorded the almost 262% year-on-year growth in searches among the top international destinations, followed by Hong Kong SAR, China at nearly 138% indicating growing interest across a mix of destinations that offer cultural, culinary and leisure experiences.

At the city level, Bangkok and Phuket in Thailand recorded 65% and 51% growth in searches, respectively, offering travelers a combination of cultural landmarks such as the Grand Palace and Wat Pho along with local food and coastal experiences. In Vietnam, Phu Quoc recorded 124% growth in searches by Indian travelers, with its beaches, island-hopping experiences and night markets offering a mix of leisure and local experiences. Hanoi recorded a 94% increase, with attractions such as the Old Quarter and Hoan Kiem Lake offering a glimpse of the city's heritage. Tokyo also recorded 109% growth in searches from India, with the October to November travel window coinciding with its autumn foliage season, when spots such as Shinjuku Gyoen become popular for 'Kōyō', Japan's tradition of enjoying the changing colors of the leaves.

Festive escapes return to perennial favorites

Within India, festive travel trends reflect a mix of leisure, cultural and nature-led getaways. Goa saw nearly 43% year-over-year growth in searches, while Udaipur grew by nearly 29%, reflecting continued interest in established leisure and heritage destinations. Puri recorded 318% growth in searches, followed by Ooty at 166% and Munnar at 107%, pointing to interest in coastal, hill and nature-focused breaks. Varanasi also recorded 92% year-over-year growth, adding to interest in destinations associated with India's cultural and spiritual heritage.

Gaurav Malik, Country Director, Indian Subcontinent & Indian Ocean Islands, Agoda, shared: "The festive period has traditionally been when travel and celebration come together, but the destinations people are considering reveal that there are now various ways to spend this time. We are seeing interest span beach holidays, city breaks, cultural destinations and hill station escapes, suggesting that travelers are choosing destinations around the experience they want to have, rather than simply following a conventional itinerary. For Agoda, this also means helping people discover the right stay and experiences around increasingly diverse ways of traveling."

As travelers increasingly shape festive getaways around the experiences they want to discover, Agoda brings stays, flights and activities together in one place, giving travelers access to more than 6 million holiday properties, over 130,000 flight routes and more than 300,000 activities worldwide through its website and mobile app.

SOURCE Agoda