Tourico Holidays, a leading travel brokerage company, has reported a 97 per cent increase in hotel bookings in India compared to the same time last year.
 
According to Tourico’s 2017 hotel booking data, the European Union was a driving force behind the increase with EU travelers booking 109 per cent more rooms in 2017 compared to this time last year. The Asia-Pacific region also increased its hotel bookings in India by 53 per cent year-over-year, while North America increased its bookings by 32 per cent year-over-year.  Specifically, China (up 115 per cent YoY), the UAE (up 113 per cent YoY), Canada (up 105 per cent YoY), the UK (up 57 per cent YoY), and the US (up 20 per cent YoY) were amongst the countries with the largest hotel booking influxes in India.
 
“India is currently experiencing a boom in travel demand – and with a diversity of source markets increasing their bookings, it’s a safe bet that the country’s tourism industry will experience healthy growth throughout the next decade,” said Madhuri Khanna, regional director of Product Development in Southeast Asia for Tourico Holidays.  “A relaxed e-visa regime and an emphasis on bolstering tourism has India primed to become a major global destination in the years to come. To ensure suppliers are prepared to capitalize on the current and future influx, Tourico is working closely with its Indian hotel suppliers and offering industry-leading business intelligence tools.”
 
Travel distribution clients in India are also noticing an uptick in international travel from a changing Indian population.  Tourico Holidays is reporting a 28 per cent year-over-year growth in outbound hotel bookings from India. Asia-Pacific bookings have largely contributed to the growth, with a 58 per cent increase from APAC in 2017 – including significant growth from China (up 127 per cent YoY), Malaysia (up 101 per cent YoY), Thailand (27 per cent YoY), and Australia (up 24 per cent YoY).
 
Hotel bookings from India to the EU increased by 20 per cent year-over-year, led by Turkey (up 90 per cent YoY), Spain (up 33 per cent YoY), and the UK (up 28 per cent YoY), while hotel bookings to North America increased by 10 per cent year-over-year.
 
“Encouraged by India’s leading GDP global growth rate, a growing middle class, and a millennial age block that is increasingly enjoying more disposable income, the country is rapidly becoming an outbound travel force,” said Khanna. “Our local Indian office will ensure that all of our distribution clients have the professional support and industry expertise necessary to take advantage of the influx.” - TradeArabia News Service