India's liberty-craving young travelers taking to self-drive holidays
What's the story
The trend of self-drive travel is gaining popularity and is expected to grow 35% annually, FCM Travel Solutions - Indian subsidiary of Flight Centre Travel Group, Australia, Managing Director Rakshit Desai said.
"The liberty to stop anywhere for meals or sightseeing empowers travellers," he said.
He added that it also adds a new perspective to the whole self-exploration experience.
Preferred places
Most travelers prefer Shimla, Manali and coastal belts in Konkan
Most travellers prefer picturesque or adventurous routes in India like the coastal belts in the Konkan and hill stations such as Shimla and Manali, Desai said.
"Internationally, most of our Indian travellers prefer the US, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Spain and Ireland," he added.
Young travellers aged 25-35 have more desire for experiential travel, he said.
Infancy stage
Self-drive travel in India still in infancy
Head of Self-Drive 365 at Cox and Kings, Debolin Sen, said this segment is likely to grow by 15-20% till 2022, as new expressways have given people an avenue to drive around and enjoy the landscape.
"Self-drive holidays are very popular overseas. In India, it's still in infancy," he added.
25-30-year-olds are the main target domestically, while those aged 30-50 prefer overseas, he added.
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Good roads, increasing internet penetration boosting the sector
Expedia India Marketing Head Manmeet Ahluwalia said the increased preference for road trips is due to decent GPS navigation systems, proliferation of internet connectivity and good roads.