Personal Wellness and Luxury Experiences are High on Travel Agenda for Indians in 2023: American Express Survey

As per the American Express Travel® 2023 Global Travel Trends Report based on survey data from travellers across the United States, Australia, Canada, Mexico, Japan, India, and the United Kingdom, 90% surveyed Indians are prioritizing travel plans focusing on personal wellness with 87% planning on spending more money on luxury experiences than conventional luxury goods this year.

"Indians are planning to travel for gaining new experiences, learning about a city and its culture, breaking away from monotony and trying new food or cuisine. New trends like solo and bleisure travel is also picking up amongst Indian travellers,” says Sanjay Khanna, CEO, American Express Banking Corp India. “With the ongoing demand for travelling, we are backing our Cardmembers with compelling offers and benefits, helping them get better value for their trips and creating joyful memories.”

Pop-culture and social media are influencing the rise of “set-jetting”.

• The top sources of travel inspiration for surveyed Indians include Instagram (63%), Facebook (63%), online blogs (49%) and TV shows (49%).
• 48% Indian respondents agree that they have been inspired to travel this year by a recent TV show/movie, with Game of Thrones and Emily in Paris topping the list.
• 95% surveyed Indian GenZers agree that they are inspired to visit specific travel destinations after seeing them featured on TV shows, news sources or movies.

Culinary delights driving the travel preferences of Indians.

• Highest amongst all the surveyed countries, 86% Indian respondents shared that they typically book travel destinations based on popular restaurants located there. Participating in the local restaurant scene and food festivals are top experiences they are looking forward to during their upcoming travels.
• When it comes to food inspiration, more than 98% surveyed Indians agree that they are open to venturing out of their comfort zone and trying new foods while traveling. 

Supporting local communities and the environment is on the minds of Indians while traveling.  

• 97% are interested in going on a vacation that supports local communities in 2023.
• 94% of surveyed Indians say that they are more mindful of the environmental impact of their travel decisions compared to a year ago.

Exploring lesser-known destinations and traveling on off –the-beaten path.

• 98% surveyed Indians want to travel to a place they have never been before.
• Indian respondents are seeking hidden gems as 94% agree that they want to explore lesser-known destinations and 95% agree that they want to travel to a destination that is off –the-beaten path.

The American Express 2023 Global Travel Trends Report is based on data obtained through an online poll conducted by Morning Consult between February 3rd – 11th, 2023 among a sample of 1,000 travelers from Australia, Canada, India, Japan, Mexico, UK and 2,000 travelers in the US who have a household income of at least a $70k equivalent, and who typically travel by air at least once a year. Results from each market’s survey have a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.