Ritu Mehrotra, Country Manager, India, Sri Lanka and Maldives, Booking.com states, "As we proceed towards a new decade, we will see travel becoming more and more sustainable and technologically-advanced, further aided by enhanced services and offerings that enable the modern day inquisitive traveller to experience the world.
From catering to their peaked interest in second cities to counter over-tourism, to customised travel recommendations, we want to ensure that the travellers have the most diverse selection of places to stay at as we help them prepare and plan their travel in 2020 and beyond."
Here's what we can expect according to the study:
1. Discovering the all-amusive escape
A fast-paced world means that most of us are often time poor - a notion that doesn't start or stop with vacations. Travellers will want to be as time-efficient as possible on vacation, so instead of settling into one theme for the entire vacation, 2020 will see a rise in travellers exploring the 'all-amusive', by visiting destinations that offer an array of enriching experiences and attractions.
72 percent of Indian travellers say they want to go on one long trip to a place that has all of their favorite activities and sights close together.
2. Tech-spect the unexpected
Smart, trusted tech-led recommendations will connect us to a myriad of new experiences that might not otherwise have crossed our path, while also saving time (as well as screen-time) and enabling us to max out every minute of 'now' while on vacation. 2020 will see travellers put key aspects of their decision-making process even more firmly in the hands of technology.
77 percent of Indian travellers want tech to offer them 'wildcard' and surprise options that would introduce them to something entirely new in the coming year.
3. Slo-Mo is the new #FOMO
Instead of the constant fear of missing out and trying to speed through as much as possible, travel in 2020 will be all about taking it slow. Over three in four Ind agree they would prefer to take a longer route to the destination to experience more of the journey itself.
4. The rise of the 'second city' traveller
Second-city travel means exploration of lesser known destinations in a bid to reduce over-tourism and protect the environment. Two in three Ind agree that they would swap their original destination for a lesser known but similar alternative if they knew it would leave less of an environmental impact.
5. Pets in the priority lane
Reflecting this trend, the number of pet-friendly properties continues to rise on Booking.com while savvy to this appetite, accommodations around the world will continue to look for innovative ways to up the ante when it comes to pet-tailored offerings and amenities, such as complementary dog day beds, pet spas, dedicated room service menus and even specially designed pet restaurants.
71 percent Ind would be willing to pay more to stay at an accommodation that's pet-friendly
6. Making great memories with grandparents
2020 will be the year of the 'grand' getaways as more grandparents will take epic vacations with just their grandkids. The vast majority of grandparents agree that spending time with their grandkids keeps them feeling young.
7. When in Rome, well... eat as Romans
78 percent of Indian travellers say that eating locally sourced produce is important to them when on vacation. The coming year will see travellers put culinary ambitions at the forefront of their travel-decision making, with the race to snag that all important restaurant reservation truly on. For many, where and when they travel will start with - and depend on - whether they can reserve a table to enjoy highly coveted cuisine, in many cases at places whose waiting lists stretch months long.
( With inputs from IANS )