52% millennials keen on international holiday this summer: Survey

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Mumbai: With vaccination drive against COVID-19 gathering steam across the world and restrictions on movements easing gradually, many millennials are keen on taking an international holiday this summer, according to a survey.

Things are looking up for 2021, as 52% millennials are eager to take an international holiday this summer as COVID-19 vaccine ushered in hope that the end to the pandemic is on the horizon, according to a survey by BOTT (Business of Travel Trade) Travel Sentiment Tracker.

The survey was done online with over 6,000 millennial travellers across the country during January 2021 in partnership with seven national associations — IATO, TAAI, ICPB, ADTOI, OTOAI, ATOAI and SITE.

According to the survey, 75% millennials would prefer to go to foreign destinations with fewer COVID-19 cases while 71% would opt for destinations with defined protocols for the pandemic to avoid unnecessary hassles. The industry finds survey findings encouraging for the travel industry. The findings, they believe, will generate more confidence in an industry, which is currently disappointed by being ignored in the Union Budget.

“However, inbound and outbound are two verticals of travel that go hand in hand. We hope the government will look into opening up borders in India soon, and so will other countries,” Travel Agents Association of India president and the Federation of Associations in Indian Tourism and Hospitality vice chairperson Jyoti Mayal opined.

The survey also showed that 62 per cent millennials would prefer Thailand, followed by Singapore (58 per cent), UAE (52 per cent), Maldives (46 per cent) and Saudi Arabia (40 per cent) in the short-haul category of foreign destinations.

Malaysia and Indonesia are chosen by 39% millennials each Sri Lanka (36%), Bhutan (31%), Turkey (28%) and Seychelles (24%) coming close among the top preferred short-haul foreign destinations, it noted.

In the long-haul category, the top-ranked international destinations include France (53%), Germany (51%), Australia (50%), Switzerland (49%), the USA (46%), Britain (45%), Canada (44%), Japan (38%).

The ongoing vaccine drive coupled with dropping COVID-19 cases in India has instilled confidence in the travellers, especially the millennials, according to Outbound Tour Operators Association of India (OTOAI) President Riaz Munshi.

“The road to complete recovery is long and tough but we are definitely seeing an uptick in trip-planning and requests right now for the holidays and into 2021, as well as far-flung international trips. Many of our members are planning trips for 2021 and 2022 because they know demand will be high in popular destinations eventually,” he added.

The survey showed that 40 per cent millennials are open to spend between Rs 2-5 lakh for their holidays while 35 per cent would spend between Rs 5-10 lakh.

Around 34 per cent millennials would like to book luxury hotels with limited inventory while 25% each would go for boutique and budget properties, it said.

Travellers are still looking for places with fewer crowds, it added.