Research Reveals Trending Offbeat Destinations for the Independence Day Long Weekend

Independence Day is around the corner, and fortuitously, Indian travellers will get a long weekend to enjoy a much-needed getaway. Flight search data from the world’s leading travel search engine KAYAK, reveals the top trending destinations for this period, as well as noteworthy flight search trends compared to last year.

For travel over the Independence Day long weekend, the current average return economy flight domestically is ₹11,584 a 4% decrease compared to last year, great news for Indian travellers. The average return international flight price is sitting at ₹77,431 on average an 11% increase compared to 2022.

Tarun Tahiliani, India Country Manager, KAYAK, says, “Our data reveals that Indian travellers are keen to immerse themselves in new experiences in destinations like Madurai, Varanasi, and Bhubaneswar. Many Indians are also looking at overseas sojourns to Colombo, Auckland, Jeddah, and Toronto. Some of the top trending destinations, both domestic and international, have seen a considerable drop in prices, further enticing Indian travellers. The Independence Day long weekend is going to be action-packed for Indian holidaymakers, and KAYAK is all set to help them with useful tips and tools to help all those hoping to travel for the holiday at a great price!”

Interestingly, domestic travellers could be opting for spiritually enriching journeys, as the list of top trending destinations features offbeat locales more than popular tourist destinations. Varanasi, a spiritual capital of India, has seen a substantial 102% increase in flight searches despite a 7% rise in flight prices as compared to 2022. The culturally significant, ancient city of Madurai has also witnessed a 97% increase in flight searches even with a 22% price increase compared to last year.

Apart from these, the top domestic destinations that saw the largest increase in flight searches as compared to the previous year include Bhubaneswar (90%), Thiruvananthapuram (71%), and Kochi (51%).  Given these trends, it appears that Indians are using this long weekend to experience the country’s diverse and alluring cultural offerings.

Colombo and Auckland have captured the top 2 spots on the list of top trending destinations as per flight searches, with a remarkable upswing of 5 times and 4 times respectively, as compared to 2022.  This increase in traveller searches may be attributed to a drop in average flight prices compared to last year: Colombo in Sri Lanka has seen a 10% decrease in average flight prices since 2022, while the average flight price for Auckland in New Zealand has decreased by 16% in comparison to last year.

The most searched international destination for summer travel is Bangkok followed by Toronto, Bali, and Dubai*. Further, Goa was the most searched domestic destination, followed by New Delhi, Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Kochi*.

For Indians eager to travel over Independence Day, prices decreased by around 4% for international hotels but increased by around 22% for domestic hotels. The average price for a domestic hotel is INR 6,686, and INR 14,885 for international hotels over the long weekend.

KAYAK travel tips

1. Use a travel search engineKAYAK has the tools and filters to help you find great deals, including the Explore feature, which shows destinations by price. Before planning your journey, check the latest travel restrictions in your destination.
2. Set a price alertAs one of KAYAK’s most popular features, price alerts help travellers save money by alerting them when prices change for a flight or hotel they want. If a flight you’re eyeing drops in price, KAYAK will alert you so they can lock in that new price, helping you save both time and money.
3. Manage and stay up to date with your travelKAYAK has built the trips feature on its app and website, that allows users to plan, build and manage their itineraries for travel of any length, in any location. The platform allows users to get real-time updates on any cancellations, stay informed about unexpected changes, delays or gate changes that may arise and even find their luggage on the right conveyor belt after landing at the airport.