Skyscanner reports 58% of Indians plan to travel abroad more in 2027; unveils Travel Trends 2027 report

The report reveals seven emerging trends shaping Indian travel, including Signal Severance, Pilgra-merch, Sten Do Surge, Grand Odysseys, Gymcation, Sound Bound and Currency Chasers.

Skyscanner has officially launched its Travel Trends 2027 report on October 8, 2026, at Odella, Green Park, Delhi. The report revealed next year’s top trending and best value destinations as well as showcasing the seven key trends influencing traveller behaviour and key shifts in the travel industry in the coming year. 

Despite broader consumer spending slowing and global economic tides shifting, travel appetite remains strong - with 58% of Indians planning to travel abroad more in 2027. Instead of giving up on travel, Indians are adapting how they spend, with 56% planning to spend more on flights and 44% on accommodation. At the same time, value remains central, with 67% having changed a holiday destination or considered doing so because an alternative offered better value.

Neel Ghose, Travel Trends and Destinations Expert, Skyscanner India, said: “Indian travellers are entering 2027 with a stronger appetite to explore, but they are also becoming more considered about how they spend their time and money. We’re seeing a shift from simply choosing where to go towards thinking more carefully about the experience they want from a trip, whether that is switching off, discovering something new, staying active or getting better value. With 87% of Indians now confident using AI to plan and book travel, technology is also becoming an important part of this decision-making journey.”

Combining exclusive Skyscanner proprietary data with insights into 2,000 Indian travelles and supporting data from trusted partner, the seven trends shaping travel in 2027 include Sound Bound, 43% choosing carnival experiences and 38% preferring unique venues such as volcanoes, pyramids and caves for music-based experiences while on holiday. While genre leads as the biggest consideration at 27%, cultural immersion (20%) and seeing a new venue (19%) also shape music-led travel.

Signal Severance is a trend where 43% Indians takes a little time to clear their head and stop checking their phone, while only 23% switch off immediately at the start of their journey. Yet going off-grid could help them reconnect with what matters, with 75% saying they would feel more connected to nature and 73% to themselves without their phones. In response, destinations offering a chance to slow down and switch off are seeing rising demand, with Pokhara (+166% YoY), Agatti (+157% YoY) and Phu Quoc (+133% YoY) emerging as top destinations for digital disconnection.

Health and fitness travel is inspiring Indian travellers to seek out destinations where staying active and prioritising nutritious choices is as easy as sightseeing and the trend is named as Gymcation. 91% are likely to book a hotel offering nutritional-performance breakfast options, while 53% actively look for fitness facilities and are willing to choose one hotel over another if its fitness offering is better.

“Our registration data shows that fitness is no longer something Indians pause when they travel – it's becoming a reason to travel. Nearly half the athletes at our Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru events this year travelled from another city, sometimes another state, just to compete. That tells us the 'gym-cation' isn't a niche behaviour anymore; for a growing number of Indian travellers, a workout event is now as legitimate a reason to book a trip as a concert or a marathon,” said Deepak Raj, Country Head, HYROX India.

Pilgra-merch is about the best keepsakes are the ones you have to travel for. 80% of Indians have visited a specific destination or store to purchase a location-exclusive item, with Gen Z (84%) and Millennials (82%) particularly likely to have travelled for an exclusive purchase. Nearly half (49%) would even fly for up to three to six hours to buy something they cannot get elsewhere.

As couples marry later in life and move away from traditionally gendered celebrations, the classic 'stag' or 'hen' trip is giving way to a more inclusive era of joint travel - the ‘Sten Do’ and the trend is named as Sten Do Surge. 73% Indian travellers prefer either a shared celebration or a mix of shared and separate celebrations. Fun (64%), more time together before the wedding (53%), convenience (49%) and cost savings (48%) are driving the shift.

Grand Odysseys is grounding travellers in timeless human stories with history and mythology. For Indian travellers, the past is inspiring the present, with 89% having had their travel plans inspired by a historic event, a classical story or myth, or both. Historical figures (61%), architectural wonders (57%) and mythological legends (52%) are among the strongest sources of inspiration.

Currency Chasers is savvy Indian travellers actively matching destinations to better value. 69% always or often consider a destination’s currency strength when booking holidays, while 67% have actually changed a holiday destination because another offered better value. Among Gen Z, that rises to 77% when including those who have changed or considered changing destination.

According to the report, the key travel behaviours and destinations shaping Indian travel in 2027, with international travel appetite remaining strong and travellers increasingly seeking experiences that offer better value, wellness, culture and discovery. For Indian travellers looking to make the most of their holiday budgets in 2027, value is a key consideration. The top 10 trending destinations with increase in search are include Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan (+748%); Rupsi, India (+502%); Okinawa, Japan (+279%); Malvan, India (+258%); Tirana, Albania (+237%); Podgorica, Montenegro (+236%); Sandakan, Malaysia (+236%); Pokhara, Nepal (+166%); Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei (+139%); and Phu Quoc, Vietnam (+133%). 

The top 10 best value destinations with price drop include Jaisalmer, India (-43%); Tashkent, Uzbekistan (-30%); Kozhikode, India (-29%); Jodhpur, India (-25%); Baku, Azerbaijan (-17%); Cebu, Philippines (-17%); Krabi, Thailand (-17%); Gaya, India (-15%); Phuket, Thailand (-11%); and Christchurch, New Zealand (-8%).

AI is becoming a travel companion for Indians, with more than half planning to turn to AI for destination research, 1 in 2 using it to compare flights, accommodation and prices, and almost 2 in 5 using it to book flights. At the same time, accuracy remains a key consideration for more than half of travellers.

When it comes to trip inspiration, screens are playing an increasingly important role for Indian travellers, with YouTube (78%) and Instagram (69%) leading, while 30% are already turning to AI chatbots and tools for travel inspiration.