Local coffee beans, Persian rugs or Italian leather – Indian travelers look for unique, one-of-a-kind purchases from their trip, according to a new travel trends report by American Express India. While looking for a story to share with their friends and family, over eight in 10 Indians also prioritize supporting local small businesses when purchasing travel memorabilia.
“From shopping for local and handmade goods, making a special trip for a luxury purchase or attending concerts and sporting events, Indian travelers are prioritizing unique experiences in 2025,” American Express India said in a statement.
When it comes to purchases, about half of the Indian travelers are planning to take an international trip this year in order to purchase a luxury good or an investment piece.
In line with the growing trend among Indians, American Express noted that close to 60% Indians are planning to travel to both domestic and international destinations to attend a specific concert or show. This is similar to the global trend observed by the company.
About one-third of Indian travelers are also willing to travel domestically or globally for a sporting event this year, especially cricket.
Maximizing Value: Even as Indians are willing to purchase unique memorabilia from their travels, they continue to be savvy spenders and maximize value while making their bookings. Close to 80% of Indian travelers are planning to use reward points for leisure travel such as flights and hotels this year.
They are also looking at combining credit card rewards with other loyalty programs for booking cost-savvy international trips. Half of the Indian travelers are also linking their credit cards to dining partners.
Why India’s Tourism Potential Is Hugely Underutilized
India’s tourism sector contributes about 5% to the country’s GDP, when this figure should be somewhere around 10%, said Suman Billa, additional secretary at India’s Ministry of Tourism. The country’s tourism potential is “hugely underutilized,” he added, and the ministry of tourism is working to double the sector’s contribution to India’s economy over the next decade.
For this, India is looking to rely on its digital initiatives. The country will use DigiYatra, an airport entry system using facial recognition, as well as its indigenous document wallet service DigiLocker, the instant mobile payments system Unified Payments Interface (UPI), and India’s open e-commerce platform Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) to make it easier for people to travel across the country, Billa said at an event on Monday.
IndiGo to Fly Direct to Fujairah
Indian low-cost airline IndiGo is expanding its global network and is set to fly to Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates from next month. Fujairah is the 41st international destination in IndiGo’s network, and the fifth in the UAE.
Starting May 15, the airline will commence daily direct flights from Mumbai and Kannur to the destination. According to the airline, Fujairah, with dedicated bus services to and from Dubai and Sharjah, will complement existing IndiGo routes to Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, and Ras Al Khaimah.
Speaking at the Skift India Forum last month, IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers said that Indian carriers have an opportunity to expand in international markets. “International air travel in India was catered to by non-Indian airlines for a long time. The further away you go from India, the lower is the market share of Indian carriers. There is an opportunity for us to offer a product that is operated by an Indian operator and address that market.”
Saudi Arabia Reduces India’s Private Hajj Quota
Saudi Arabia has reduced India’s private Hajj quota by 80%, leading to disruptions in planning of pilgrims and tour operators. Due to the reduction, about 52,000 Indian pilgrims are left uncertain about their plans to travel to Makkah for annual pilgrimage.
This has come soon after the Kingdom temporarily suspended issuing visas of certain categories to nationals of 14 countries including India. The temporary suspension was placed on business, family visit, and Umrah visa, which is issued specifically for the Hajj pilgrimage. The move was in response to unauthorized Hajj participation. The government said it noticed instances of persons entering the kingdom on tourist or Umrah visas and staying longer than permitted to perform the Hajj without official approval, leading to logistical and security problems.
Marriott International Debuts in Udaipur
Marriott International has debuted in Udaipur with the opening of Marriott-branded Udaipur Marriott Hotel. The 226-room hotel is coming to the city, which is a key wedding destination in the country.
“Udaipur is one of the most preferred destinations in Rajasthan,” said Ranju Alex, area vice president for South Asia, Marriott International. She added that this expansion is a part of the company’s strategy to expand its presence in established as well as emerging markets across the country.
In order to cater to the popular wedding market in the city, the hotel includes 65,000 sq. ft. of banqueting space.
Navi Mumbai Airport to Launch in June
Mumbai’s second international airport – the Navi Mumbai International Airport – is expected to open in June this year, pushed back from its earlier deadline of March 2025. The airport is expected to support the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) in handling the increasing air traffic flying into and out of Mumbai.
In the run up to the launch, several airlines including the Air India Group are expected to move some of their domestic operations to the new airport. However, IndiGo has announced that it will retain its operations at Terminal 1 of the present airport for the foreseeable future.
The new airport, which will be run by the Adani Group, is also planning to set up an exclusive terminal for VVIP guests, including politicians, top bureaucrats, and billionaires, likely to be developed in the third phase of its expansion.
The travel industry’s top event comes to Bangkok.
May 14-15, 2025 – BANGKOK
