Quadruple digit spikes at home and booming short haul demand abroad show Indians choosing high value, closer to home destinations for Christmas and New Year 2025.
As the year-end travel window opens, Indians are making very different choices about their winter getaways. High fares on long-haul routes, easier visas across Asia, rising social travel trends, and a preference for shorter, more value-driven trips are all shaping up a new kind of festive holiday mindset.
Instead of multi-stop European vacations or expensive long-haul itineraries, Indians are choosing destinations that offer rich experiences without long flights or complicated planning.
Against this backdrop, Indians are looking outward this festive season, but not very far. Outbound hotel bookings may be down 29 percent overall, yet short-haul destinations are witnessing a massive surge, according to Adara, a RateGain company. Countries like China, Georgia, Hong Kong, Japan, and Thailand are seeing unprecedented demand, with China alone jumping 1800 percent over last year.
A major driver of this spike is the resumption of direct flights between India and China, making travel faster, cheaper, and significantly more accessible. Coupled with competitive fares, relaxed visa processes, and social-media powered travel inspiration, short-haul Asia has become the clear favorite for Christmas – New Year getaways.
Long-haul favorites, however, are losing momentum. Bookings to France (–54 percent), Germany (–37 percent), Australia (–54 percent), the United States (–34 percent), and New Zealand (–65 percent) are declining sharply. High fares, longer travel time, and more complex planning are pushing travelers toward closer, better-value experiences.
Domestic travel is booming with 51 percent year-on-year growth, powered by the clear shift towards scenic, experiential, and culturally rich destinations. Varkala, Indore, Udaipur, Mahabaleshwar, and Agra are seeing triple and quadruple digit spikes, far outpacing metros like Mumbai (–6 percent), Bengaluru (–21 percent), Chennai (–23 percent), and Kolkata (–38 percent) which are witnessing declines.
The takeaway is clear: convenience, value, and access are shaping where Indians will spend their winter break.
