72% Indians find offbeat destinations via reels, while AI & trust shape modern travel: zingbus survey
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61% of respondents have used AI to plan at least one trip in the past year, highlighting how AI is becoming a part of the modern travel planning process.
As World Tourism Day 2026 focuses on AI and the digital transformation of tourism, zingbus survey reveals how social media and AI are reshaping travel discovery, planning and booking. Travel inspiration today is increasingly digital, with social media and artificial intelligence becoming important parts of how Indians discover and plan their journeys. A recent survey by zingbus, based on 2,371 respondents, reveals how short-form content, AI-powered planning and trusted travel information are influencing travel decisions.
According to the survey, 72% of respondents primarily discover new and offbeat destinations through Instagram Reels and other short-form videos, highlighting the growing influence of visual platforms in shaping travel aspirations. However, digital discovery is only the first step in the travel journey. 31% of respondents searched for a destination after discovering their most recent trip idea online, showing how travellers are increasingly moving from inspiration towards active planning.
The survey also highlights a shift in how travellers want to experience journeys today. Beyond discovering destinations online, they are increasingly looking for curated experiences that bring together transport, accommodation and local activities, allowing them to focus on creating memories while the journey is taken care of.
The survey also points to the growing role of artificial intelligence in travel planning. 61% of respondents have used AI to plan at least one trip in the past year, highlighting how AI is becoming a part of the modern travel planning process.
Among AI platforms, 44% of respondents rely primarily on ChatGPT for AI-assisted travel planning, followed by 23% who use Google AI Overviews as their preferred AI travel-planning platform.
For travellers, AI appears to be particularly valuable for personalisation. 45% of respondents find AI most useful for creating customised, day-by-day itineraries, helping travellers structure journeys based on their individual preferences.
At the same time, trusted information continues to play an important role in travel decisions, with travellers seeking confidence and validation before finalising their plans.
As travellers discover more destinations online and use technology to personalise their plans, the survey points towards a growing preference for seamless and curated travel experiences.
48% of respondents said they would prefer an end-to-end curated group or offbeat package when transport, accommodation and experiences are verified and hassle-free.
Trust remains an important factor in final decision-making, with 52% of respondents considering positive traveller reviews critical before making a final booking.
These changing preferences reflect an evolving travel landscape where consumers are looking beyond individual bookings and seeking reliable, well-planned experiences that bring different parts of a journey together.
These insights are also reflected in the evolution of Chyll by zingbus, the company’s travel experiences vertical, which brings together transportation, accommodation and local experiences. Through Chyll, zingbus offers journeys centred on activities such as kayaking, exploring heritage neighbourhoods, regional cuisine, riverside cooking, painting and visits to destinations outside conventional tourist circuits.
The company is also expanding its offering to destinations including Sethan, Sissu, Jibhi, Tirthan Valley, Kalpa and Munsiyari. These journeys combine accommodation, local experiences and transportation arrangements. The offering includes verified stays, local partners, planned transport and travel assistance, bringing several elements of a trip together within a single itinerary.
Prashant Kumar, Co-founder & CEO, zingbus, said, “People today can discover a destination in seconds and build an itinerary using AI almost instantly. The harder part is everything that comes after that, knowing whether the transport is dependable, the stay is good, the experiences are worth it and the price is transparent. We see a clear opportunity to make that journey much simpler by bringing trusted mobility and curated travel experiences together.”
