Gen Z, affordability drives India's travel boom in 2025: Report

Mumbai, Dec 16 (PTI) Travel trends in 2025 were shaped by a sharp rise in Gen Z bookings, a stronger tilt towards value and affordability, and mobile-first trip planning and bookings, a report said on Tuesday.

Gen Z travellers surged 650 per cent in 2025, hopping across multiple destinations and chasing experiences all year long, according to Cleartrip Unpacked 2025 - A recap of 'How India flew, stayed, and searched for chutti' in 2025.

Dubai, Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok emerged as the top picks for Gen Z's spontaneous decisions for destinations offering strong cultural and social appeal, it added.

The report is based on data and insights derived from internal booking and search trends observed on the Cleartrip platform.

It further stated that convenience drove growth in UPI payments by 6 per cent and Credit Cards by 8 per cent, while 66 per cent of the overall bookings were made on the phone.

The report revealed that Vietnam emerged as the breakout international destination of 2025, recording a 133 per cent jump in traffic, while in India, traffic to Varanasi and the Andaman Islands grew by 20 per cent.

According to the report, Uttar Pradesh was the most visited in 2025, with stay searches growing significantly for Prayagraj (3 times) and Bareilly (4 times).

Delhi and Bengaluru emerged as the top two destinations for solo travellers this year, reflecting a growing preference for quick, independent getaways in big, well-connected cities, the report said.

Similarly, Goa, Pondicherry, and Darjeeling were the most preferred destinations as 'Workation' spots, it added. PTI SM MR