Weddings and micro-celebrations are driving travel demand this season

On Instagram, a post by Zostel cheekily suggested escaping Delhi's hazardous air quality with a quick trip to cleaner hill stations nearby. Another reel by OYO recently referenced "that one friend" who books tickets, manages hotel check-ins, and herds the group through airport chaos while everyone else just shows up.  #travel has amassed over 790 million posts, with Indian users contributing a significant share of content ranging from Goa sunset reels to offbeat Himalayan treks.

When brands join in and engage the consumers with relatable content, the comments flood in with tags and laughing emojis. Why? Because they are mirrors held up to how Indians actually travel today. And as the country moves from festive celebrations into its peak winter travel window, this blend of relatability and insight is shaping how the industry understands and reaches its audiences.

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This is backed by numbers. Forward bookings are trending significantly higher compared to last year, with travellers finalising plans earlier to secure better fares and availability. Visa applications for November 2025 to February 2026 have surged, with Millennials accounting for 54% of applicants and Gen Z emerging as the fastest-growing segment at 25%, according to Atlys data. A Google-commissioned Kantar report reveals that 88% of Indian travellers are keen to travel, with 81% willing to splurge and 85% preferring to book online. Domestically, trekking bookings have jumped by around 29%, while local sightseeing activities are up approximately 25%.

80% of bookings remain largely domestic

The travel landscape is being reshaped by distinct generational preferences and occasion-based demand. Manmeet Ahluwalia, Chief Marketing Officer at EaseMyTrip, is observing a clear rise in purposeful and experience-led travel. He says, "Younger generations, particularly millennials and Gen Z, are favouring immersive journeys over material indulgence. Millennials are driving demand for family holidays, adventure trips, and honeymoons, while Gen X and Boomers continue to prefer family visits and independent getaways."

This generational split is playing out across booking platforms. The use of air miles and travel vouchers has grown by about 20%, reflecting a value-conscious yet aspirational mindset. Activity-based travel is gaining serious traction, with travellers increasingly choosing boutique stays and premium day experiences instead of conventional options. Goa, Himachal, Udaipur, and Lonavala remain top domestic choices, while Dubai, Bangkok, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, and Bali continue to lead international bookings, according to leaders.

Weddings are proving to be a major demand driver this season. With approximately 4.5 million weddings expected across November and December, the ripple effects are visible across segments. 

"As we transition from the festive rush into India's prime travel window, demand remains exceptionally strong across both leisure and business segments," notes Kadmbini Mittal, Regional Vice-President – Commercial, India & Southwest Asia at Hyatt. "Weddings, small celebrations, and MICE are driving incremental growth, especially in resort-led destinations. Our properties in Goa, Jaipur, Kochi, and Dehradun continue to see strong traction, while emerging destinations like Dharamshala and Bodh Gaya are gaining popularity among travellers seeking nature, spirituality, and rejuvenation."

While international destinations such as Dubai, Singapore, Bali, Sri Lanka, and Thailand continue to dominate, Bharatt Malik, Senior VP – Air and Hotel Business at Yatra Online, points out, "The travel mix remains largely domestic, about 80% of bookings, with international travel steadily increasing as borders remain open and fares stabilise. On the domestic front, Goa, Shimla, Manali, Udaipur, and Jaisalmer remain top picks for winter getaways."

Gender dynamics are also shifting within this landscape. As per Atlys data, women now comprise 34% of total visa applicants, with interesting destination preferences emerging: women are driving travel to Sri Lanka, while men show a stronger inclination toward Schengen destinations. City-wise, Tier I demand is anchored by Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru, while Tier II momentum is accelerating, led by Lucknow, Ludhiana, and Surat.

Targeting built on intent, not just age

Traditional demographic segmentation is giving way to mindset-based targeting. Brands are now focusing on emotional drivers like connection, rejuvenation, celebration, and discovery rather than age brackets. Experience-seekers are drawn to wellness, culture, and gastronomy. Conscious travellers prioritise meaningful connections and sustainability. Modern luxury seekers value personalisation and comfort without excess.

Hyatt's World of Hyatt campaign featuring Karisma Kapoor highlights this philosophy, reintroducing the loyalty program as a community built on recognition, choice, and belonging. The campaign uses high-impact digital storytelling across Instagram Reels, YouTube, and Connected TV, supported by select out-of-home placements in key metros. 

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Kapoor brings warmth and authenticity to the narrative, thinking about the joy and comfort of thoughtful service, and the quiet confidence of feeling at home wherever you travel. The hospitality brand’s messaging centres on belonging, care, and individuality, with tone and content tailored across channels. Mittal notes, “It's a mix of digital-first storytelling for younger travellers, loyalty-led narratives for long-standing members, and on-ground activations at metro landmarks for those seeking inspiration.”

EaseMyTrip has refreshed its segmentation to focus on behaviour-driven personas: value-seekers who plan early and look for bundled savings, experience-led travellers seeking unique stays and new destinations, family holiday planners prioritising convenience and safety, spontaneous weekend travellers driven by short-haul options, and premium audiences looking for elevated and seamless experiences. 

Ahluwalia shares that the brand’s communication is tailored through sharper, persona-driven messaging. It highlights planning convenience and savings for early planners, inspiring discovery and unique experiences for experience-led travellers, and showcasing premium, seamless travel for luxury audiences.

Zostel's approach segments by product and experience rather than age. 

"The audience segment differs, as per product and experience," explains Aviral Gupta, CEO at ZO World. "With two new Zo Houses in Bangalore and one in San Francisco, Zo World is now a pioneer of the world's first life design product, combining tech-enabled spaces, AI-driven operations, and a high-agency community of founders, builders, and creative nomads. In contrast, Zo Trips targets millennials and Gen Z seeking quality, curated travel experiences across India and abroad."

This segmentation extends to social media content. Zostel has been promoting adventure trips specifically for Gen Z with visa-free treks, explorations of Kashmir and eastern parts of the country, and more. Gupta continues, “Every event is designed to accelerate ideas and bring visionary people together. On the experiential front, Zo Trips is going live with its Grand Prix segment, taking F1 and racing enthusiasts from around the world on 12 international trips, inclusive of GP race tickets and experiences.”

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MakeMyTrip has partnered with diverse influencers, be it couples, solo travellers, and families, promoting locations across Southeast Asia, with Thailand emerging as a clear favourite. The platform has also created ads addressing practical concerns like full refunds in case of visa rejections and options for Indian food during international trips through its ‘Villain Mat Bano' campaign, conceptualised by Restless at MagicCircle. The five-film series featured iconic 90s Bollywood villains Gulshan Grover, Mukesh Rishi, and Dalip Tahil; reimagined not as bad guys but as everyday travellers battling real-world travel chaos. 

Making the right cocktail of channels 

The marketing budgets this season reflect strategic structuring rather than scale expansion. There is emphasis on optimising spends toward channels demonstrating the strongest conversion and brand relevance. 

Leaders note that performance-led campaigns are being strengthened, with amplified presence across high-intent platforms like Google and Meta. Simultaneously, sustained media outreach, targeted emailer communication, and enhanced SEO are working in tune to nurture recall and strengthen existing customer relationships.

Yatra Online is adopting an integrated marketing approach spanning awareness, consideration, engagement, and conversion, supported by a balanced media mix across online and offline touchpoints, says Malik. "Out-of-home and print will be leveraged to create impact and high visibility, while digital platforms like Google, YouTube, and Meta allow us to effectively target travellers across all stages of the purchase funnel. In addition, on-ground activations and in-mall branding across key malls in top cities, timed with the Christmas-New Year footfall surge, will help us deliver immersive brand experiences."

Yatra's umbrella campaign, #YatraOfCelebrations, captures the spirit of this vibrant season filled with festivals, holidays, and weddings. The campaign maps audiences around key travel motivations of celebration, rejuvenation, and connection, resonating with families planning year-end breaks, Gen Z and millennials seeking offbeat cultural or adventure-driven experiences, and couples or honeymooners looking to spend meaningful time together. 

On social media, the brand has been participating in moment marketing trends like the apology trend, where brands "apologise" for being too good, has promoted South Asian countries like Japan, showcasing landscape beauty, and even partnered with movies like De De Pyaar De 2.

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Experiential marketing has also gained ground. Skyscanner hosted its first-ever 'Snack Transit' pop-up in Delhi and Mumbai, drawing over 2,000 visitors who sampled 16 varieties of international snacks from around the world. Inspired by the 'Shelf Discovery' trend from its Travel Trends 2026 Report, which revealed that 79% of Indian travellers love exploring local supermarkets abroad, the activation transformed food trucks into cross-cultural adventures.

Through interactive zones like trivia-based games, spin wheels, and photo booths, guests shared their moments on Instagram, amplifying excitement across both cities and celebrating the intersection of food, travel, and community.

Tech powering personalisation

Digital engagement has become central to the travel journey, from discovery through post-trip engagement. The focus is on personalisation and convenience powered by AI and data intelligence. 

"With travellers increasingly adopting a digital-first mindset, we're using technology across the entire travel journey from discovery to booking to post-trip engagement," says Malik. "A key example is DIYA, Yatra's AI-powered travel assistant, which enables users to plan, book, and manage their trips through simple conversational prompts in over 100 Indian and global languages.”

On the marketing front, brands are leveraging predictive analytics and advanced audience segmentation to serve hyper-relevant offers and content across channels, ensuring travellers discover experiences that truly align with their interests and intent during the festive season. 

At Hyatt, marketing is closely aligned with business outcomes, with a clear focus on revenue growth, guest retention, and long-term value creation. The approach is increasingly data-driven, with analytics and AI helping deliver hyper-personalised experiences, especially through the World of Hyatt loyalty program. Its tiered structure not only encourages repeat stays but also builds deeper emotional connections by offering curated benefits and exclusive access, turning loyalty into advocacy, as per Mittal.

EaseMyTrip has strengthened its marketing technology ecosystem to make engagement more intelligent and data-driven. "Technology remains integral to how we engage with travellers and enhance their journey from discovery to booking," notes Ahluwalia. "Using advanced analytics and automation tools, we are now able to understand traveller intent more accurately and personalise interactions across multiple touchpoints in real time.”

MakeMyTrip's 'Travel Ka Muhurat' property brought together 25-plus airlines, 30-plus hotel brands, and marquee banks to unlock value through digital coordination. Early trends from the first six days showed properties booked in 1,441 Indian cities and 834 cities globally across 109 countries. International flight bookings spanned 362 airports across 115 countries, serviced by 113 airlines. 

As India's winter travel season unfolds, the convergence of segmentation, integrated marketing, and intelligent technology is reshaping how brands engage with travellers. And so, the brands winning this season are the ones speaking the same language travellers already use with each other.