Indian GenZs Plan International Travels After Getting First Salary - India Report

24.04.2024 - 06:53 / skift.com / Bulbul Dhawan

More than 81% of the Indian GenZs – aged between 18 and 25 years – start planning their first international trips as soon as they secure a job or receive their first paycheck, online travel agency Skyscanner has revealed in a new report. Indians are historically known to start saving as soon as they are employed and have been conservative with their travel spends. These findings highlight how the youth, especially the growing middle class, is changing the tourism landscape in the country.

The Indian youth is, therefore, also becoming the segment that tourism players are aiming to cater and market themselves to, be it hotels or travel agencies.

Knowing the young Indian travelers: Budget is one of the most important considerations for young travelers, along with safety concerns. While two-thirds of the young Indian travelers prefer to save up for their travels, about 20% are also using the buy-now-pay-later options while booking their first international trips. 

The company also noted that more than half of the youth prefer to use their own money, including income and personal savings, for these travels. The youth also choose to take their first trip without parents or guardians.

Full-service carrier Air India has signed a codeshare agreement with Japanese carrier All Nippon Airways. Coming into effect from May 23, the agreement will enhance the flight options for travelers between India and Japan. 

Initially, the agreement would be applicable on flights between Tokyo Haneda and Tokyo Narita in Japan and Delhi and Mumbai in India. The two airlines are considering expanding their agreement to additional routes. 

“This agreement will contribute to further consolidate the economic and commercial relations between India and Japan and will offer Indian tourists the opportunity to discover Japan and to Japanese citizens the opportunity to easily travel to India,” Air India said in a statement.

The domestic air traffic reached 471,751 passengers on Sunday, making it the new single-day high, the Indian civil aviation ministry shared. This figure was 14% higher than the average pre-Covid count of nearly 399,000. 

“Domestic aviation in India is witnessing unprecedented growth, driven by factors such as concrete policies, economic development, and expansion of low-cost carriers. As more people gain access to air travel, the sector is expected to continue its upward trajectory,” the ministry said. 

As many as 95% of Indian travelers have said that sustainable travel is important to them, said online travel company Booking.com in its Sustainable Travel Report 2024. Despite that, it said that nearly one-fourth (24%) of Indians feel traveling more sustainably is important, but not a primary consideration when