Depreciating Rupee, soaring airfares and budgetary concerns loom large, indicates TripAdvisor’s Traveller Sentiment Survey
The world’s
largest online travel site, today shared the results of its Traveller Sentiment Survey. The survey
is a quick check on the pulse of Indian travellers and aims to capture peoples’
travel sentiments against the backdrop of the current challenging economic conditions.
Half the surveyed
respondents perceive the current performance of the Indian economy as ’poor’. 66%
believe that the economy is going to stay in the current state over the next 6
months or weaken further. Still, the intention to travel remains strong, with
41 % respondents wanting to take more holidays in 2013 as compared to 2012.
This figure remains constant when compared to estimates conveyed in the holiday
forecast at the beginning of 2013.
Nikhil Ganju,
Country Manager, TripAdvisor India, says: “The survey indicates that while budgetary concerns, economic
uncertainty and the weakening Rupee are driving travellers to alter their
holidays, but they don’t seem ready to abandon their vacation plans as yet.
Though the balance may have tipped marginally in favour of domestic holidays,
overall holiday estimates remain healthy with 60% respondents still looking at
taking between 2-4 holidays this year.”
Domestic
holidays hold steady
Plans for domestic
holidays show no detraction from travellers’ estimates for 2013 taken at the
beginning of the year, indicating that domestic vacations stay stable. Providing
that little extra impetus to domestic travel, 19% respondents in the survey
said they replaced their international holiday with a domestic one, on account
of the staggering fall in Rupee value.
Foreign
holidays: Down but not out
Foreign
holidays see a marginal dip but traveller sentiment stays optimistic on heading
overseas for vacation. 36% respondents believed they would take more
international holidays in 2013 compared to their foreign vacations last year
but mid-year, the sentiment sees a 7% dip with 29% respondents now thinking
they will end up taking more international holidays this year compared to 2012.
However, a healthy 62% still claim they will undertake international travel
this year.
The survey also reveals
a resilient response to the plummeting value of the Rupee, with 36% respondents
saying their international holiday plans stand unchanged and 16% picking a more
economical foreign destination for their vacation than initially planned. Only
10% respondents said they cancelled their foreign holiday for this year
altogether.
Budget woes
inflate holiday spend without deflating holiday plans
Inflation,
falling Rupee value and high airfares seem to be primary among factors
impacting holiday budgets, but resilient travellers are choosing to revise and
not refrain from holiday plans.
Even
with more travellers estimating their holiday spend to increase over last year,
75% of those surveyed are modifying holiday plans though not abandoning them.
Rough
skies for travellers on airfares
Airfares are clearly an area of concern as even at the beginning
of 2013, 46% saw it as a major cause of driving the holiday budget up this
year. Mid-year as well, it is the second biggest holiday budget concern.
This insight is
further strengthened as we explore traveller’s recent perception of airfares in
the survey. 48% respondents believe airfares to popular
tourist destinations have been consistently higher this year compared to last
year. Recent flight
sales/deals and discounted fares have also not managed to reverse this
perception completely as 37% believe the Air ticket
sales/deals do not offer lucrative discounts to popular or relevant
destinations compared to only 21% who said that recent airline
deals/discounts have made flying cheaper.
Fear
factor: Uttarakhand
While some
travellers do stand in support and plan to visit the state soon, quite a few
remain fearful in the aftermath.
The floods
calamity may have spelt disaster for Uttarakhand tourism but with plenty of
alternatives within the country for those seeking cooler climes, travellers
seem to have moved their holidays to other hill destinations, according to the
survey.
Other
travel snippets
·
The destinations most visited during the
first 6 months saw Goa emerging at the top followed by Shimla and Kerala. Some
destinations popular on the travel map
for the next 6 months include Andaman
& Nicobar Islands, Leh & Ladakh, Rajasthan, Coorg and Puducherry.
·
Thailand,
Singapore, Dubai, Bangkok and Malaysia remain favourites as most frequented
international holiday spots for Indian travellers till July this year, as well
as top destinations on the holiday wishlist for the rest of the year.
·
More people seem to be keen to
take off for a short trip this August compared to last year. 43% respondents
confirmed they planned to take off during the long weekends in August this year
for a short break, with Independence Day weekend being the most popular time to
head out. Last year, 35% respondents took advantage of the long weekends during
the month.
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