Exit small family trips to home towns and villages, and enter the big Indian holiday – much like the big Indian wedding. It’s a trend that you’re going to find hard to keep up with or rival in any way, because Indians are definitely travelling more!

For a developing country that’s not really seen as having as much money as certain foreign nations, we sure do know how to live life large. From religious festivities to weddings, Indians do everything on a pretty large scale, and they’ve slowly claimed the holiday as well. Whether it’s a destination wedding, a journey to find yourself, an exploration of culture or simply an annual trip with the family – there’s something about recent travel trends that’s seeing Indians book their tickets and set off without a care in the world. See what trends and reasons could be the cause for this sudden overflow of Indian tourists in local as well as foreign destinations – not that we’re complaining!

Babymoons

Have you ever heard of a babymoon? If you haven’t already, you’re not exactly up-to-date on the travel scene at the moment. Recent trends see people jet setting around the world, and while a honeymoon was once one of the only reasons you had to splurge and go all out on the trip, there’s a growing trend of couples who want to have one last trip in the kitty, before having to bring up the baby. The vacations are perfect for pregnant women, and packages usually include natal massages, proper accommodation for mothers, and a pre-baby trip catering to everything from the baby bump to pregnancy cravings that you will remember for a lifetime.

Destination Weddings

We’re sure that in the past two years, you’ve been to at least one wedding away from the city – and not because you were travelling to meet someone in their home town! Destination weddings were once a privilege of the rich and famous but now, everyone’s doing it. They’ve become so incredibly popular that travel packages include deals and offers especially for couples who want to plan their big day outside the confines of their locale. From beach weddings to palace retreats and adventure trails (yes, there are people who get married on hikes, and even some who do it while skydiving!). The trend is huge! It’s been picking up in India for years, and while not everyone can afford to book an entire palace like certain Indian business tycoons do, there are several small palaces and heritage sites that are slowly clambering up on the destination wedding lists (Jaipur is one of the most popular ones!). And of course for the pocket friendly weddings, there’s always Goa!

Birthdays and Anniversaries

It’s not trendy any more to celebrate your birthday in the city that you live in. Want to celebrate your birthday by an infinity pool in Singapore? Want to get up close and personal with the beach and waves in Bali, or take a trip to the backwaters in Kerala? Recently, Young Indians are experiencing more disposable incomes, which means they’re planning holidays more frequently, also leading to a sudden increase in the trend of buying vacations for people. Whether you buy your parents a cruise to celebrate their anniversary, or take your siblings on a trip to celebrate their birthday – this trend is picking up more than ever.

All-Women Trips

This one is becoming increasingly popular. Several all-women travel companies are coming up with travel plans for women wanting to travel without their family, but being unable to do so alone. Enter the woman-friendly trip, where a group of women (whether strangers or friends) get together to plan the perfect vacation. Jet set around the world, whether you’ve got company or not, without worrying about things like safety. Women friendly destinations are also becoming a huge trend. So, women travelers in India are getting the sort of exposure that never seemed possible before.

Post-Retirement Travel

So, you’ve always wanted to see the world, but your busy, 9-5 job is keeping you completely caught up for years on end. Enter post retirement travel, where prices are lower for senior citizens, packages are friendly and safe and tours are age-friendly. Whether they’re going to visit their sons and daughters settled abroad or simple take a trip to enjoy having nothing to do, people are spending retirement time and money travelling the world instead of sitting on the couch.

Chasing Cash

Image Source: Flickr @msmmelendez

Travel writing and travel photography has never been bigger. There are numerous travel magazines and websites that feature travel diaries, photos and blogs. And, Indians are catching up pretty fast. You can now make money off your travels, which gives more of an incentive to pack our bags, set up domain names and start monetizing, with travel blogs, photo diaries and contributory articles doing the rounds.

Travelling Alone

Image Source: Flickr @danielfoster

Solo travel is a pretty big trend the world over, so it’s no big surprise that it’s suddenly hit India too. More and more people are beginning to realize that you don’t need a partner to see and enjoy the world. Indians are becoming bold, more aware, so there’s absolutely nothing we can’t do – including traveling solo!

Adrenaline Junkies

Image Source: Flickr @flickrohit

There was a time when an adventure packed vacation meant going to Goa for some water sports or heading over to Silvassa for entertainment. Times have changed, and with it come the new adrenaline rush tours and packages. From getting diving lessons in Andaman, to paragliding and bungee jumping, there’s a lot to do on an action packed, adrenaline-fuelled vacation. So, people are travelling less for the scenery and more for the experience.

Nicole

A poet with a penchant for prose and the itch to travel, Nicole Reed is an assistant editor and features writer for a daily newspaper, struggling to find a way out of the concrete mess by dreaming of one day living and breathing off words in an idyllic country setting somewhere. Having been editor of her college magazine, written for a number of publications including Shamiana’s short film newsletter and as a current student of Literature from the University of London, Nicole sees writing like travel - an adventure – a journey to find her place, to define and redefine who she is over and over again and to live and learn through the process.