Booking.com, the global leader in connecting travellers with the widest choice of incredible places to stay, reveals what Indian travellers worry about the most when travelling. Environment, experience, expectations and food find their way among the top worries for Indian travellers.
Top worries of Indian travellers include:
- Safety first please – 36% of Indian travellers worry being in an environment that feels unsafe (global 43%)
- Return on investment is the key – 30% of travellers worry that the experience might not be worth the money (global 28%)
- Fasten them locks – Almost one third (28%) of Indian travellers worry about something being stolenwhen they are travelling (global 39%)
- Not all surprises are always good – The destination not living up to expectations is another fear shared by 24% of travellers from India (global 28%)
- Food is life – 23% of Indian travellers worry local food not meeting their dietary requirements/preferences (global 10%)
- Language Barrier – 21% of the Indians worry about not being able to communicate because of language barriers
When comparing the above listed top 6 worries of Indian travellers, what Indian travellers are least worried about include:
- Getting lost – 15%
- 16% worry about their travel companion(s) not liking the accommodation they’ve chosen
- The journey itself – 17%
India vs. Global: When comparing worries of Indian travellers with travellers from other countries
– Indians are most worried about their food preferences and dietary requirements not being met, while food less of a concern for travellers from 29 countries surveyed
– After France (18%), India (16%) is the country where travellers worry most about their travel companion(s) not liking the accommodation they’ve chosen
– India and UK share the highest worry for the journey itself among all the other markets at 17%
– Korea (32%), France (22%), and India (21%) share the highest fear of missing out on great experiences because they do not know the best things to do
– Italian (41%) and French (36%) traveller worry the most about not liking the accommodation they have chosen as against 21% Indian travellers
With an ever-increasing growth of smartphone penetration and internet access, 68% of Indian travellers opt to make bookings online via travel websites and apps. When booking online almost half of Indian travellers use both websites and apps, and India has one of the highest rates of travelers relying exclusively on apps (15%).
In line with the changing booking behaviour, the concerns that Indians rank most often as being amongst their top 4 online travel booking fears include:
- Privacy – almost 53% of the Indian travellers list “personal details being stolen” as one of their top 4 fears while booking online (global 45%)
- Authenticity – 53% Indians also worry about online photos of the accommodation being misleading (global 47%)
- Accountability – 49% fear that there might not be anyone to hold accountable in case things do not go according to plan. (global 45%)
- Credibility – 48% of Indian travellers also worry about the credibility of online reviews of accommodations, that might not be real, further leading to unrealistic expectations (global 42%)
Interestingly, 48% of travellers worry that when they arrive, the accommodation or transportation provider might not ever have received their booking and 46% Indians feel that because of the amount of choice in accommodation online, they might not pick the right place or get the best deal.
Worried about safety, food or missing out on experiences? You are not alone. Don’t let these travel worries dampen your next holiday as you leave them behind and make the most of your trip planned.