Exclusive: Spending Power & Thirst For Adventure Makes Women Travellers A Growing Trend In 2020: Sunil Gupta, CEO Avis India

Close your eyes. Imagine those snow-capped mountains, feel the nip in the air, feel your lungs fill with fresh mountain breeze!

Close your eyes. Imagine the touch of soft sand under your feet, hear the roaring waves, the tingle of water as the waves crash on the shore.

Close your eyes. Imagine dipping gliding through an expansive pool, feel the water wash away the everyday chaos, feel enveloped in luxury.

Now open your eyes- and plan your next travel. New year 2020 is giving us enough opportunities to make quick trips, thanks to a slew of long weekends. But obviously, that doesn't mean you don't plan the longer holiday for the year 2020.

According to the UN World Tourism Organization, it was estimated that 50 million Indians would have travelled overseas in 2019. The numbers are bound to go up in 2020. The 'roadtrip trend' has also been on the rise and has seen a dramatic 15% year on year increase in the last 10 years. Car rental service company, Avis, says there has been a surge in the women travellers who opt for self-driven cars for their travels. HerZindagi spoke to Mr. Sunil Gupta, MD & CEO, Avis India, who sees synergy in these trends.

1. Would you say 2019 been a year for the woman traveller?

2019 was a year of many travel trends, with newer ways of holidaying such as slow travel and solo travel gaining prominence. Women travellers were another such trend which shaped the dynamics of the travel & tourism industry this year. Growing spending power and the thirst for new adventures saw many women opt for either solo holidays or group travel with other women.

This growth reflected in the booking patterns on the Avis India platform as well. We saw a year-on-year increase of 20% in the number of women booking self-drive rentals and chauffeur-driven rentals combined.

2. Are there any trends in the destination of choice for the Indian travellers?

When it comes to destinations, Indian travellers have a lot of options to choose from, whether within the country or abroad. There has, however, been a noticeable shift towards less-explored holidaying destinations. A growing number of travellers are now choosing to travel to and experience off-beat destinations. As a result, we are registering a growing interest in places such as Chikmagalur and Coorg domestically while internationally South Africa, and New Zealand are replacing Europe as the most preferred destination.

3. Are road trips emerging as a preferred holiday plan than air travel?

Air travel and road trips are complementary since one can fly to the destination quickly and once there, savour the sights and sounds in a leisurely fashion with a rented car. There is, therefore, a definite growth in interest for self-driven and chauffeur-driven rentals over the last couple of years.

More interesting, however, is the growth in the number of international travelers booking car rentals. Travellers wanting the freedom to explore a new country by themselves prefer self-drive rentals, while those who prefer extra convenience and comfort choose chauffeur-driven rentals.

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4. There are at least 12 long weekends in the coming year - what would be your recommendations on planning for fun trips.

This year, I would recommend Indian travellers to dive deep into the experience that their preferred destinations offer. Whether they’re taking short-haul road trips or going on long international holidays, they must make the most of the travel experience by actively engaging with the culture, people, and nuances of the location. Doing so unlocks an entire plethora of fulfilling travel experiences and allows you to see even those destinations that you have previously visited in a completely different light. Such immersive travel experiences also make for lasting memories

So, where is your next adventure going to be? Planned or spontaneous, there is no doubt, that travels make for fabulous adventures and must be a to-do for the year ahead for you.