This stresses how insurance data is mirroring outbound travel behaviour.
The latest travel insights report from ACKO, based on policies issued during the peak winter season, shows that Indians are favouring visa-friendly, experience-rich destinations, while family travel is emerging as the dominant driver of overseas trips.
Thailand led the rankings, supported by short travel time, affordability and simplified visa access. Germany followed, attracting a higher share of families and senior travellers drawn to Europe’s winter markets and festive experiences. Vietnam ranked third, benefiting from budget-friendly travel and rising interest from young professionals and students.
France and Italy completed the top five, driven largely by family and working professional travel.
The report indicates that travellers aged 30 to 49 account for the largest share of multi-person trips across destinations, highlighting the growing importance of family-led holidays. Young professionals aged 20 to 29 show a strong preference for short-haul destinations such as Thailand and Vietnam, while students below 20 are more active in markets like Vietnam and the UAE.
Senior travellers above 50 form a higher proportion of visitors to long-haul destinations including Germany and the United States.
Outbound winter travel is being driven by urban centres, with Bengaluru, Mumbai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Pune, Chennai, Gurugram, Kolkata, Noida and Ahmedabad recording the highest travel insurance issuances in December.
Family travel is the fastest-growing segment and accounts for the largest share of insured passengers during the winter period. Solo travel is also rising steadily, particularly to destinations such as Thailand, the UAE and the United States, while couple travel has shown stable growth, led by Southeast Asian markets.
Industry experts note that travel insurance issuance has become a key indicator of international travel trends, especially as several countries mandate insurance coverage for visa approval and as overseas medical and trip disruption costs continue to rise.
Travel insurance typically covers medical emergencies, trip cancellations, delays, baggage loss and accidental injuries—risks that tend to increase during peak travel seasons.
Commenting on the findings, an ACKO spokesperson said winter travel this year reflects a preference for convenience and comfort, alongside a growing awareness of the need for reliable travel protection as overseas trips become more frequent.
