India wants more passport stamps: 63% plan to travel more 

India ranks among the strongest markets for future international travel demand, with 63.1% of surveyed Indian international travellers expecting to travel more over the next 12 months than they did in 2025. 

A new LIONS Advisory and TOURISE report highlights an opportunity for travel businesses to win customers through more relevant experiences, trusted information, and stronger digital engagement.

The report, IDEAS that travel: How tourism brands win the race for tomorrow’s customers, draws on a December 2025 survey of 8,374 people across 13 markets who had travelled overseas in the previous 12 months. India accounted for 830 respondents. Brazil led the ranking for expected travel growth at 68.2%, followed by South Africa at 63.7% and India at 63.1%.

For Indian travel agents, tour operators, destination management companies (DMCs), and international tourism boards targeting India, the findings point to a market opportunity that goes beyond selling popular destinations. Travellers increasingly expect recommendations that reflect their interests, while social media, creators, and artificial intelligence (AI) are changing how they discover and evaluate trips.

Personalised experiences could influence destination choice

The report finds that 72% of surveyed travellers globally expect brands to recommend experiences based on their interests, including culture, adventure, wellness, sports, and entertainment. A further 71% are considering visiting emerging or less-travelled destinations in the coming year.

For the Indian travel trade, this points to scope for building itineraries around specific interests rather than relying only on standard destination packages. Cultural trails, food-led holidays, adventure trips, wellness breaks, and sports-related travel can help agents match products to individual motivations.

The findings also present an opportunity for destinations seeking a larger share of India’s outbound market. Instead of competing only on familiar attractions, tourism boards and their local trade partners can highlight distinctive experiences, regional culture, and activities that give travellers a clear reason to choose one destination over another.

Social media shapes travel discovery

The report identifies social media feeds and video platforms as the leading source of travel inspiration among respondents globally, cited by 33%. Recommendations from friends and family followed at 31%, while travel websites, blogs, and review apps accounted for 29%. Search engines were cited by 26%.

The role of social platforms is particularly pronounced among younger travellers. Among Gen Z respondents, 45% cited social media feeds or video platforms as a source of travel inspiration. The report also found that 42% of Gen Z travellers use social platforms to research and plan trips, compared with fewer than 25% who rely on search engines.

These findings suggest that travel businesses need to engage potential customers before they begin actively comparing packages. Short videos, creator-led destination stories, first-hand experiences, and useful itinerary ideas can introduce travellers to products they may not have considered.

For agents and tour operators, the commercial opportunity is to connect this early interest to clear itineraries, transparent pricing, and a straightforward booking process. Content that attracts attention but offers no practical route to purchase may struggle to convert interest into business.

Trust remains critical to conversion

Greater access to travel content has not removed uncertainty from the planning process. According to the report, 55% of surveyed travellers globally find it difficult to identify trustworthy information when planning a trip.

Established sources continue to matter. Among travellers aged 18–44, 83% trust recommendations from friends and family, while 75% trust official tourism websites. The report also records growing influence from newer sources, with 59% trusting AI-generated recommendations and 52% trusting creators and influencers.

For travel businesses, these findings underline the importance of combining digital visibility with credible information and personal reassurance. Accurate descriptions, clear inclusions, current travel details, customer reviews, and responsive service can help travellers assess whether an offer meets their needs.

Travel agents and DMCs can also use their destination knowledge and on-ground relationships to answer questions that online content may not resolve. As travellers compare recommendations across several sources, reliable advice can become a differentiator rather than simply a service expectation.

AI is changing the customer journey

The report finds that 55% of surveyed travellers globally already use AI when planning holidays, rising to more than three-quarters of Gen Z respondents. A further 62% say they are likely to use AI more often over the next 12 months, while 67% expect brands to personalise their recommendations.

Respondents see several practical uses for AI. Some 46% expect it to help with destination research, 37% with live guidance during a trip, 32% with creating personalised itineraries, and 25% with streamlining bookings.

These are global findings and should not be read as India-specific AI adoption rates. However, they point to changes that travel businesses serving Indian customers will need to monitor. AI tools can help travellers compare destinations, assemble itineraries, and narrow their choices before speaking to an agent.

The report argues that tourism brands must make their information easy for AI systems to identify and assess. For travel companies, this means keeping details such as prices, availability, amenities, itineraries, and reviews accurate and consistent across digital platforms. Human expertise remains important, particularly when customers need reassurance, complex arrangements, or tailored advice.

Distinctive marketing matters in a crowded market

The report also identifies a visibility challenge for tourism brands. Globally, 60% of respondents said travel advertisements look similar, while 43% found it difficult to distinguish between travel brands. Half could not remember the last advertisement they had seen for a tourism company or destination, with a further 7% unsure.

In its analysis of growth markets, which include India, Brazil, South Africa, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), and China, the report found that 52% of travellers considered authentic experiences and people memorable in tourism advertising, compared with 40% in mature markets. Unexpected or surprising creative approaches were cited by 38% in growth markets, against 25% in mature markets. Emotional storytelling was cited by 30%, compared with 24% in mature markets.

These figures cover the report’s combined growth-market group and do not represent India alone. They nevertheless support a wider point for businesses targeting Indian travellers: generic messages about luxury, value, or scenic attractions may not be enough to stand out. Specific stories, local voices, and experiences connected to travellers’ interests can give a product a more recognisable identity.

The report brings its recommendations together through the IDEAS framework: investment, distinctiveness, engagement, authenticity, and seamlessness. It calls for sustained brand visibility, clear positioning, engaging storytelling, credible experiences, and connected journeys across digital and physical touchpoints.

For India’s travel trade, the central challenge is to turn strong outbound travel intent into actual bookings. That requires more than reaching prospective customers: businesses must help them discover relevant options, trust the information they receive, and move from inspiration to a well-supported travel experience.