Why Indian travellers are ditching fixed tour packages — and what it means for travel in 2026

Indian travellers are moving beyond fixed tour packages, choosing personalised, experience-led holidays as travel preferences evolve ahead of 2026.

In 2025, Indian travel quietly stepped away from the rulebook. Fixed itineraries, rigid tour packages, and one-size-fits-all holidays are steadily losing relevance. Instead, travellers are taking charge—adjusting dates, redesigning routes, upgrading stays, and spending more when a trip feels truly personal.

Fresh consumer insights from Pickyourtrail, one of India’s leading customised travel platforms, show that holidays are no longer being simply “picked and booked.” They are being built from the ground up, shaped by intent, emotion, and individuality rather than cost alone.

“What we’re seeing is a decisive shift towards thoughtfully crafted travel experiences,” said Hari Ganapathy, Co-founder and CEO, Pickyourtrail. “Indian travellers are planning their finances better so they don’t have to compromise on travel, and are investing deeply in moments that matter to them. As we move into 2026, the demand for personalised, intentional, and human-backed holiday design will only accelerate.”

Here’s what the report reveals about how Indians travelled in 2025—and what’s set to define travel choices in 2026.

The biggest shift in 2025 wasn’t about spending less — it was about spending smarter. Nearly 49% of travellers, depending on the destination, deliberately chose off-peak or shoulder-season travel to optimise costs.

By adjusting travel dates, travellers saved:

• Up to Rs 40,000 per trip in destinations like Maldives and Dubai.
• Nearly Rs 30,000 in Vietnam.
• Around Rs 20,000 in Sri Lanka.

These savings weren’t pocketed — they were reinvested in hotel upgrades, private transfers, premium experiences, and comfort-driven choices, proving that value, not discounts, is the new priority.

Indian travellers are also planning earlier to avoid last-minute trade-offs. The report shows that 53% booked their holidays well in advance, with:

• 28% booking 60–90 days ahead.
• 25% booking more than 90 days in advance.

In fact, 59% began planning their trips over two months before departure, reflecting a more confident and intentional approach. This mindset has translated into a 35–45% rise in average spend per trip over the past four years, underlining travel’s growing importance in Indian lifestyles.

In 2025, personalisation wasn’t a feature — it was the product. One in five trips saw five or more customisations before booking, with travellers changing dates, cities, and hotels to shape holidays that felt uniquely theirs.

Destinations like Japan, Sri Lanka, and Vietnam, which require more detailed planning, reported higher satisfaction and lower cancellation rates. The insight is clear: when travellers build their own journeys, they stay committed to them.

For many Indians, mood now leads the map. Holidays are being planned around feelings — rest, celebration, reconnection — rather than landmarks alone.

Travellers from Bengaluru and Chennai leaned into slow, scenic breaks.

Delhi and Mumbai favoured culture, nightlife, and buzz.

Food-led travel surged, with more Indians planning trips around cafés, tastings, and culinary trails.

This shift also changed trip lengths. While the number of holidays increased, the average number of nights dropped, with short, high-intent breaks replacing long, generic vacations. Event-led travel also surged, with concerts and festivals driving four times more bookings than the year before.

In 2025, travellers stopped buying souvenirs and started creating memories. Experiences like pottery classes in Bali, silver-making workshops, matcha tastings in Kyoto, and letter-writing sessions in Nuwara Eliya were no longer afterthoughts.

In 20–30% of bookings, such activities were requested at the planning stage itself — clear proof that experiences now matter more than merchandise.

Luxury, too, has been redefined. The most expensive trip booked on Pickyourtrail in 2025 — a Rs 29 lakh family vacation across Europe — wasn’t about extravagance, but togetherness.

From hot-air balloon rides to mark milestones to private dinners for proposals and hotel upgrades for multi-generational stays, Indian travellers are choosing luxury that feels meaningful, not flashy.

Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Bali have become repeat destinations for Indian travellers — much like the classic Golden Triangle once was. Travellers are returning, exploring deeper and combining familiar favourites with new experiences. Meanwhile, Japan is emerging as the new Europe, blending culture, nature, and technology for long-haul travellers.

Looking ahead, Pickyourtrail expects these trends to intensify:

• Personalisation becomes non-negotiable.
• Smart value replaces price-led luxury.
• China emerges as a new curiosity destination.
• Slower, rest-focused holidays gain momentum.
• Luxury aligns with life milestones and reinvention.

One thing is certain as India heads into 2026: tailor-made travel is no longer a premium option — it’s the baseline expectation.