
Where are Indians travelling in 2025?

Summary
Community, immersive experiences and personal growth—Indian travellers are attempting to ditch the herd mentality and travel to expand their horizons, and connect with themselvesThe overarching travel theme for 2025 is community. That is, finding the community that shares one’s passion and pushing boundaries in order to have meaningful experiences. Whether star-gazing, aurora-chasing, sports-watching, wellness-seeking or nature-revelling, the joy of gravitating towards like-minded people and the sense of belonging it brings is emerging noticeably.
It’s also clear that Indian travellers, where possible, are opting for smaller and alternative places as substitutes for crowded, tourist-overrun destinations, seeking unique experiences that combine a variety of things from natural beauty to cultural richness.
“As we step into a new year, it is interesting to see how travel preferences have evolved," says Santosh Kumar, Booking.com’s country manager for India, Sri Lanka, the Maldives and Indonesia. “With the popularity of destinations like Shahdag and Baku in Azerbaijan or Gudauri in Georgia rising, we see a shift towards offbeat adventures. Improved connectivity, infrastructure and better visa regulations are making travel more accessible, convenient and exciting for everyone."
So from Shillong in India to Tromso in Norway and a whole lot of other places in between—Baku, Langkawi, Krabi, Colombo and Tashkent to name a few—Indians are set to jetset all over the globe looking for a variety of experiences.
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IN INDIA
Shillong, Meghalaya: Often called the “Scotland of the East", Meghalaya’s capital is a hill station that is enchanting for its stunning landscape filled with lush hills, waterfalls and glass lakes. One of the North-East’s gems, searches for Shillong went through the roof, with Skyscanner reporting a 828% increase in searches last year. Fuelled by social media posts, it has become the darling of nature lovers and adventure seekers—650,000 tourist visited last year, according to the Meghalaya tourist information system.
Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh: Every 12 years, Prayagraj (Allahabad), hosts the full Kumbh Mela (Ardh Kumbh Mela is halfway through the 12 years) at the Triveni Sangam, the meeting place of the rivers Ganga, Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati. Considered to be one of the largest Hindu pilgrimages, an estimated 100 million people are expected to visit the city over 45 days starting 13 January.
Puducherry: Even though Puducherry can get very crowded at certain times of the year, its French colonial vibe, lovely architecture (both colonial and vernacular), tree-lined avenues and pristine beaches outside the town’s limits have a certain allure that continues to draw travellers.
Udaipur, Rajasthan: While capital city Jaipur reels under hordes of tourists, Udaipur, the former capital of the Mewar kingdom, is comparatively serene. It helps that the city is sprawling with a series of lakes interspersed with lavish royal mansions that mesmerise. At the heart of the city is Lake Pichola on whose banks stands the City Palace with its complex of royal buildings, gardens, courtyards and stunning mosaics which have visitors spellbound.
Araku, Andhra Pradesh: Getting to this tiny hill station, a few hours away from Visakhapatnam, is in itself a lovely journey. A slow train passes through 58 tunnels with breathtaking views of hills, valleys and coffee plantations. Walks in the morning on misty lanes and wandering around stalagmite and stalactite formations inside Borra Caves add to the experience.
Ladakh: Fresh mountain air, clear blue skies, views of snow-capped Himalayan peaks and frozen lakes and tranquil Buddhist monasteries all combine to make Ladakh incredibly popular. Though Leh and places like Nubra Valley and Pangong Tso are in danger and are overcrowded, Ladakh has plenty else to offer. Unbelievably clear night skies and stargazing at Hanle, unique village experiences at Turtuk and rare wildlife sightings make it worthwhile.
Auli, Uttarakhand: Famed as one of the country’s few ski slopes, Auli takes a little effort to get to and is therefore less crowded than some of the other towns. Set against snowy peaks and an abundance of oak and coniferous forests as well as apple orchards, Auli is a white paradise. On good days, it is possible to get a good look at Nanda Devi.
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AROUND THE WORLD

Baku, Azerbaijan: A captivating blend of East and West, old world allure and modernity, Azerbaijan’s capital sits at the crossroads of civilisations. Located on the Caspian Sea, its big draw is the Unesco-listed Old City (Iceriseher) with cobble-stone avenues, stone buildings and towers, caravansarais and a lively nightlife. It’s a bit like Europe but on a shoestring budget, which makes it highly attractive to travellers, with Skyscanner indicating a 744% rise in searches.
Langkawi, Malaysia: Off the north-western coast of Malaysia, the Langkawi archipelago is a Unesco Global Geopark, with varied attractions—pristine beaches, tropical rainforests and a host of islands. From mangrove tours to underwater explorations, from colourful night markets to immersive cultural experiences, its diversity of offerings exerts a magnetic pull, evidenced by 433% rise in searches, according to Skyscanner.
Tashkent, Uzbekistan: Tashkent has suddenly gained traction among budget-conscious travellers, going up by 158% as per Skyscanner, for its mix of history and modernity. Its Soviet-era architecture is beautifully contrasted with elegant boulevards, verdant parks and rich cultural heritage as well as diverse cuisine.
Tromso, Norway: Since last year, Tromso is topping travel charts and searches have crossed 250% as aurora chasers make a beeline, while Booking.com indicated a 185% increase in interest. Considered to be a magical wonderland, with its snowy landscape and fjords, its biggest attraction is however its reputation as the best place to catch the celestial phenomenon.
Colombo, Sri Lanka: A vibrant blend of culture, history and modernity, Colombo is seeing an uptick in interest—up 120% in searches, according to Skyscanner—because of visa-free access and affordability. It helps that Colombo has a rich cultural heritage and is the gateway to several of the country’s culture, nature and beach destinations.
Krabi, Thailand: While Phuket and Koh Samui suffer from crowding, Krabi seems to be benefitting as the perfect alternative. For Indian travellers it is a short-haul flight and visa-free, making it a convenient travel option while offering stunning seaside locations, plenty of water and adventure activities and an active nightlife.
Vietnam: The introduction of direct flights a couple of years ago to a handful of cities catapulted Vietnam as an attractive and budget-friendly destination. More than 500,000 Indians visited the country in 2024; travel industry insiders say that number will likely be surpassed this year. The country is easily navigable and offers diversity: rich cultural heritage and fabulous street food in Hanoi, old-world charm at Hoi An, nature and cruises in Halong Bay and vibrant nightlife in Ho Chi Minh City. An easy visa-process makes travel hassle-free.
THE ‘NO GO’ LIST
Last year, an unusual trend hit travellers. Quite literally. Barcelona residents doused tourists with water; they were protesting against overtourism and unsustainable practices. Since then similar incidents and “bans" have hit the headlines, including a “Stay Away" campaign in Amsterdam to deter raucous British bachelor parties. Across the world, and in India too, overtourism is harming the very thing that popularised a destination. By no means an exhaustive list, these are places in danger of collapsing under their own fame.
India
Kerala, Goa, Jaipur, Darjeeling, Manali, Rishikesh, Varanasi, Ooty, Munnar
International
— Bali, Indonesia
— Barcelona, Mallorca and Canary Islands, Spain
— Venice, Italy
— Amsterdam, Holland
— Lisbon, Portugal
— Phuket and Koh Samui, Thailand
— Kyoto, Japan
— Athens and Santorini, Greece
— Machu Picchu, Peru
— Dubrovnik, Croatia
— Mount Everest
Anita Rao Kashi is an independent journalist based in Bengaluru.
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