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To shed further light on how India is discovering, deciding, and experiencing travel in a deeply connected ecosystem, we are presenting key takeaways from an insightful panel discussion on \u2018Skyscanner presents transforming India’s travel future – technology, partnership, and innovation\u2019 in association with CNBC-TV18.<\/p>\n
\nThis article gathers valuable insights from industry leaders who are shaping this transformation from the front lines of the travel ecosystem. The esteemed panellists include Neel Ghose (Country Manager and General Manager, Skyscanner), Govind Bansal (Head of Marketing, Cleartrip) and Sagar Naik (Vice President, Commercial and Sales, Akasa Air). India\u2019s travel landscape is undergoing a profound transformation, driven largely by the country\u2019s expanding middle class and increasing disposable incomes. New travel trends are emerging that are significantly shifting how Indians search and plan their travel.<\/p>\n Reflecting on this, Neel Ghose from Skyscanner sheds light on the two most defining travel trends that are shaping travellers’ behaviour today. In his words, \u201cThe biggest trend that we are seeing today is rising outbound aspirations among Indians. Indian travellers are showing a stronger inclination towards international holidays despite prevailing economic and operational uncertainties. If you look 3 years back, 80% of Skyscanner searches were domestic, and 20% were international, whereas today, outbound travel from India is experiencing a massive surge, with 51% Skyscanner searches being domestic and 49% is international. The second defining trend is the growing premiumisation of travel among newly affluent Indians. Today, travellers look beyond cost and are willing to spend more for better experiences, comfort and personalised offerings.\u201d<\/p>\n Together, these trends reflect how Indian travellers are evolving from price-conscious tourists to more experience-driven and globally minded consumers, reshaping the future of the country\u2019s travel industry.<\/p>\n Govind Bansal from Cleartrip shares another insight on how Indian travellers are making decisions today and how their travel behaviour is evolving. According to him, \u201cToday\u2019s travellers are more intent-driven. They often do not have a fixed destination in mind. Instead, they begin their journey with a specific mood, travel window, and budget, and rely on the platform to compare and discover the best-fit options.\u201d He also adds, \u201cToday\u2019s travellers seek value over lower prices, focusing on quality, convenience, and experiential return on investment rather than merely cheaper prices.\u201d<\/p>\n Another emerging travel trend that has come into light is the growing travel demand beyond metro cities. Sagar Naik from Akasa Air shares, \u201cTier-2 and tier-3 cities in India have emerged as the primary engines of travel demand. There is a growing wave of first-time flyers in India, with more people taking to the skies than ever before.\u201d<\/p>\n Partnerships Powering Seamless Travel Journeys<\/strong><\/p>\n Travel today is becoming increasingly interconnected with ecosystem partners working together to create a seamless customer journey. Through strategic partnerships and integrated technology, these platforms are helping travellers move smoothly from inspiration and planning to booking and experience, ultimately delivering a more personalised and connected travel experience. Govind Bansal from Cleartrip acknowledges investing deeply in ecosystem partnerships to ensure a seamless end-to-end travel experience for customers.<\/p>\n Sagar Naik from Akasa Air shares, \u201cPartnering with metasearch travel platforms like Skyscanner, which has a database of over 160 million customers, helps us gain immense visibility and access to valuable traveller insights. By working closely with them and analysing emerging demand trends, we are able to forecast future travel patterns and strategically expand routes and sectors where we see strong growth potential in the coming years.\u201d<\/p>\n Technology Driving India\u2019s Travel Evolution<\/strong><\/p>\n Technology is redefining the travel experience by making discovery, planning, booking, and personalisation faster, smarter, and more seamless than ever before. In India specifically, AI adoption for travel is significantly higher than anywhere else globally. According to Skyscanner\u2019s 2026 travel trends research, 86% of Indian travellers are confident using AI for travel planning, much higher than the global average of 54%.<\/p>\n Neel Ghose from Skyscanner shares, \u201cSkyscanner is leveraging AI technologies to make travel discovery more intuitive, personalised, and seamless for modern travellers. Furthermore, our partnership with OpenAI enables us to integrate our flight search capabilities directly into ChatGPT across 66 global markets, which indirectly allows customers to plan trips, compare prices, and receive tailored travel recommendations through conversational AI, rather than traditional search filters.\u201d For more insights, check out the panel discussion video. Click here to download the Skyscanner app.<\/p>\n Challenges Across Travel Ecosystem<\/strong><\/p>\n While India is emerging as a global travel engine, there remain certain challenges, such as price volatility and uncertainty. Overcoming these challenges is crucial to building trust. What helps navigate these challenges is transparency and the collective focus of ecosystem partners.<\/p>\n Neel Ghose from Skyscanner quotes, \u201csharing real-time data can help travellers make more transparent decisions and have the best travel experience.\u201d Sagar Naik from Akasa Air and Govind Bansal from Cleartrip also highlight that working closely in the ecosystem helps reduce the price friction and deliver a better travel experience to customers.<\/p>\n Wrapping Up<\/strong><\/p>\n Today, India is not just a growth market; it is shaping the way global travel is defined. Smart technology, ecosystem collaboration, and a deep understanding of the modern traveller’s aspirations work together to deliver a seamless travel experience.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Inside India\u2019s Travel Ecosystem<\/strong><\/p>\n