Understanding India’s Travel Surge: From 7 Billion Queries to $1.3 Billion in Spending

Insights from ITB India 2025

Shaurab Kapadia, Vertical Head - Travel, FoodTech & India Exports at Google, recently provided insights on the growth of India’s travel landscape during ITB India 2025. He pointed out that according to a World Bank Deloitte report, the future looks bright with projections suggesting that globally, travelers will take 2.4 billion trips by 2040.

The Continued Growth of Travel Intent

According to Kapadia, the intent to travel is experiencing tremendous growth. He noted a staggering 35% increase year-on-year in travel interest within India, stabilizing in strong double digits from a significant baseline. There are currently about 7 billion travel-related queries originating from India annually. A comprehensive survey covering seven regions in Asia-Pacific (APAC) reaffirmed that interest in travel is on the rise.

Kapadia stated, “We’ve seen the interest for travel grow at tremendous pace…The response to queries on travel frequency has seen a year-over-year increase of 6%, highlighting a global ambition to travel. Historically, travel demand has doubled every 15 years.”

Motivations Behind Travel

Considering the rise in disposable incomes and the changing demographics, more families are traveling together, spanning various generations. This includes millennials, Gen Z members, and even senior citizens, leading to increased household travel participation.

A Euromonitor survey suggested that by 2028, 55 million people will join the aspiring traveler cohort, driven by disposable income growth projected to exceed 28% in India, outpacing trends in regions like America or Europe. The increased online presence further facilitates travel arrangements, showing a clear trajectory in India’s travel future.

The Rise of Indian Outbound Travel

India is already ranked among the top five in terms of outbound travel, with expectations for growth to quintuple in the next eight to ten years. Interestingly, the average decision-making time for travel has seen a reduction, indicating a trend towards quicker planning and bookings.

Recent findings reveal that Indians are, on average, interested in taking over five trips annually, notably higher than the average across seven APAC regions. Furthermore, there’s a marked intent to extend these trips beyond a week, showcasing an eagerness for longer vacations that prioritize unique experiences over traditional costs such as airfare.

Overall, Indians accounted for 20% of all outbound travel from APAC with spending of $1.3 billion on international travel in 2025. This positions India strategically in the global travel landscape.