Key Highlights
- About 66% of millennials are willing to travel to Thailand as soon as the country opens up for Indian travellers. While 19% of them may schedule their trip after 4 months. Around 10% of the them would visit within 2 months of opening and 5% within 4 months.
- 73% of millennial travellers would prefer international destinations with fewer Covid cases.
- 67% would want to go to destinations with easy Covid policies and protocols.
- Around 61% millennials would look for better connectively when selecting for international travel destinations while 21% would prefer short-haul destinations.
- Interestingly, 38% millennial travellers would base their decisions on attractive destination campaigns highlighting their unique features and offerings
- 68% millennials travellers are willing to travel to Thailand for their next vacations.
- About 83% millennials would prefer Beach destinations in Thailand for their next holidays followed by Wellness & Spa destinations and Staycation at hotels and resorts at 65% and 53% respectively.
- Interestingly, 48% millennials opted for Golf destinations and 43% of them went for Shopping destinations.
- Around 21% chose HHT (Historical, Heritage & Temple) destinations, 16% went for Wildlife parks and Sanctuaries.
- About 49% millennial travellers would prefer to visit Thailand in January to March 2022 while 41% of them would plan in the upcoming holiday season of October to December 2021. Around 10% opted for the April to June 2022 period.
- Around 63% millennials would like to go on a 5-8 nights long trip to Thailand while 17% of them opted for 8-10 nights tour package. About 13% travellers wanted to go for 3-5 nights trip and 7% for longer than 10 nights.
- About 55% millennial travellers have a budget of INR 2 to 4 lakhs (per couple) to spend on their holidays to Thailand. Around 25% travellers have a budget of INR 4 to 6 lakhs (per couple) while 10% have a budget of INR 6 lakhs+ and equal percentage went for a budget between INR 1 to 2 lakhs.
- Phuket (47%), Pattaya (43%), Krabi (39%), Bangkok (36%) and Koh Samui (32%) were the preferred destinations of the Indian millennial travellers followed by Chiang Mai (30%), Hua Hin & Cha Am (27%) and Phang Nga (12%).
- A total of 61% millennial travellers opted for chauffeur-driven vehicle during their stay at Thailand followed by 24% who would go for public transportation. A good number of 15% would go for self drive option exploring the beautiful landscapes of the country.
- 70% millennials travellers would like to explore minimum of two travel destinations on their trip to Thailand. This was followed by 15% travellers who wanted to explore three destinations and 10% who would like to go for more destinations in one single trip. There were just 5% millennials who would go to just one destination in Thailand in one go.
- About 40% millennial travellers would like to plan and book their trip to Thailand through an Offline Travel Agency. Around 30% of them would opt for Online Travel Agency. A good 25% of the millennials would go for self booking of flights and hotels directly.
- 46% of travellers feel that there is lack of information on Covid restrictions and updates on Thailand while 44% of them opine that there is not credible information on destinations in Thailand. About 10% of them feel that there is lack of information on updated tours and packages.
New Delhi: All thanks to the pent up travel demand, things are looking up for tourism sector as 66% millennial travellers are willing to travel to Thailand as soon as it opens up. With COVID-19 vaccination drives picking up steam across the world, bringing hope to millions that an end to the pandemic is on the horizon, 73% millennials would prefer to go to international destinations with fewer Covid cases, according to the report by BOTT Travel Sentiment Tracker. While 67% millennials would opt for destinations with defined Covid protocols to avoid unnecessary hassles while planning their international holiday in the ensuing holiday season.
“The findings aptly reflect the pent up travel demand among the Indian millennial travellers. We have started receiving queries for international travel for the upcoming holiday season but travellers are cautious too with respect to Covid restrictions, better connectivity and in selection of international destinations. It is not at all surprising that Thailand is a preferred destination for Indians who wish to travel for the purpose of tourism, shopping, golf, meetings or wellness and I am confident that it will be one of the first to pick up outbound traffic from India,” says Riaz Munshi, President, Outbound Tour Operators Association of India (OTOAI).
The BOTT Travel Sentiment Tracker, done with over 7800 millennial travellers across the country for over a period of 5 weeks in the months of August and September 2021 has revealed 61% millennials would look for better connectively when selecting for international travel destinations while 27% would prefer short-haul destinations. Interestingly, 38% millennial travellers would base their decisions on attractive destination campaigns highlighting their unique features and offerings. A whopping 68% millennial travellers are willing to travel to Thailand for their next vacations.
Says Mr. Chattan Kunjara Na Ayudhya, Deputy Governor, Tourism Authority of Thailand, “We are quite pleased to see through the tracker results that there is so keen interest to visit Thailand among the Indian millennial travellers. India has always been one of the key markets for Thailand. Phuket, Pattaya, Krabi, Bangkok and Koh Samui have become very popular with Indian tourists. They have attracted high-end tourists, honeymooners, and also budget travellers from India, because the beach destinations have diverse choices of accommodation, ranging from luxurious five-star hotels to comfortable resorts, budget hotels and bungalows. We are glad that India has been added to the list of low and medium-risk Covid countries and travellers from India are now allowed to visit Thailand under the guidelines included in our special pioneering projects like Phuket Sandbox. We are ensuring that all the hotels, restaurants, sightseeing spots, tour companies have gone through stringent checks and been certified in order to welcome international tourists.”
According to the survey, 83% millennials would prefer Beach destinations for their next holidays followed by Wellness & Spa destinations and Staycation at hotels and resorts at 65% and 53% respectively. Interestingly, 48% millennials opted for Golf destinations and 43% of them went for Shopping destinations.
The survey also touched upon new travel trends such as rise of couple & do-it-yourself travel and innovations like popularity of touch-less technology, voice-activated services and more automation in the hospitality sector. Travellers are still looking for destinations with fewer crowds and minimum exposure.
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