Travel Watch: Festive travel 2026 trends show Bangkok, Phuket, Tokyo and Goa top Indian travellers’ holiday searches

Published on: Oct 15, 2026, 20:00:06 IST

By Neha Khandelwal

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Festive travel searches reveal Indian travellers are choosing Bangkok, Phuket, Tokyo, Goa, Puri and Udaipur for their 2026 holiday breaks. (Agoda)

Indian travellers are choosing festive breaks across Asia and India, with beach holidays, city escapes, heritage stays and hill getaways gaining popularity.

Indian travellers are giving the festive season a travel twist this year, with searches showing growing interest in international city breaks, beach holidays, heritage destinations and quiet hill escapes. According to Agoda’s latest accommodation search data, Bangkok, Phuket and Tokyo were the three most searched international cities among Indian travellers for stays between October 15 and November 30, 2026. Within India, Goa, Puri and Udaipur topped the list.

The findings are based on accommodation searches made between August 1 and September 30, compared with the same period last year. With Dussehra, Durga Puja and Diwali falling within this travel window, the numbers point to festive holidays becoming less about following a familiar plan and more about choosing a destination based on the kind of break travellers want.

Asia continues to attract Indian travellers

Thailand remains a popular choice, with Bangkok and Phuket recording search growth of 65% and 51% respectively. The two destinations offer very different experiences, from Bangkok’s temples, food and city life to Phuket’s beaches and coastal stays.
Vietnam is also gaining attention. Searches for Phu Quoc rose by 124%, while Hanoi recorded a 94% increase. Phu Quoc offers beaches, island experiences and night markets, while Hanoi brings together historic streets, local food and landmarks such as Hoan Kiem Lake.
Japan has also seen a significant rise in interest, with searches for Tokyo up 109%. The October and November travel period coincides with autumn foliage, giving visitors a chance to see the seasonal colours across parks and gardens such as Shinjuku Gyoen.
Sri Lanka recorded the highest growth among the top international destinations mentioned in Agoda’s data, with searches rising by nearly 262% year on year.
Hong Kong SAR, China also recorded strong growth of nearly 138%. Japan, Vietnam and Thailand saw search growth of 125%, 86% and 55% respectively at country level.

Indian getaways are seeing strong demand too

For travellers staying within India, Goa continues to be a festive favourite, with searches rising by nearly 43%. Udaipur recorded nearly 29% growth, keeping the Rajasthan city firmly on the list for those looking for heritage, food and leisure.

Some of the sharper increases came from Puri, Ooty and Munnar. Searches for Puri rose by 318%, followed by Ooty at 166% and Munnar at 107%. Varanasi also saw a 92% increase, adding a cultural and spiritual option to the festive travel mix.

Gaurav Malik, Country Director, Indian Subcontinent and Indian Ocean Islands, Agoda, said the data reflects a wider shift towards choosing destinations based on the experience travellers want from their holiday.

For travellers planning a festive break this year, the choices are clearly much wider than the traditional family holiday. From Thailand’s beaches and Vietnam’s streets to autumn in Tokyo and cool hill stations closer to home, the festive calendar is giving Indian travellers plenty of reasons to pack a bag.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Neha Khandelwal
Neha Khandelwal Content Lead, HT Travel | Travel & Lifestyle Journalist With over 10 years of content writing experience, Neha Khandelwal is a lifestyle journalist and the Content Lead at HT Travel. She specialises in destinations, hotels, aviation, luggage, travel gear, and practical guides that help readers plan smarter and travel better. Her work combines first-hand experience, expert insights, and extensive research to create stories that are informative, useful, and easy to follow. Career Journey & Experience Neha began her writing career as a freelance journalist in 2010 before entering mainstream media with The Times of India in 2022. She later joined Hindustan Times, where she has written extensively across travel, lifestyle, home, and consumer trends. Her professional background extends beyond journalism. Before moving into digital media full-time, she spent nearly a decade in interior design, managing residential projects from concept to execution. She also trained in visual merchandising with Shoppers Stop and Pantaloons and worked with women-led startups across design and operations. These experiences continue to shape her storytelling, especially in how she evaluates hotels, design-led stays, hospitality spaces, and travel experiences. A naturally curious learner, Neha has completed beginner certifications in pottery, scuba diving, baking, creative writing, and other creative pursuits. She has read more than 2,000 books, trained in Bharatanatyam for 8 years, and ghostwritten a book on Ladakh tourism. Subject Expertise Travel is at the heart of Neha's work. She covers destinations, hotels, airlines, luggage, packing strategies, travel accessories, and emerging travel trends through a mix of reporting, product testing, and conversations with industry experts. A frequent traveller herself, she approaches every trip with a journalist's curiosity and a planner's mindset, focusing on experiences that readers can realistically recreate. From choosing the right cabin bag to decoding hotel openings and destination trends, her writing prioritises practical advice over promotional claims. Her background in interior design also gives her a distinct perspective on architecture, hospitality design, boutique hotels, luxury stays, and thoughtfully designed spaces. Education & Professional Background Neha holds a Master's degree in Interior Design. Her early experience in interior design, visual merchandising, and design operations gives her a unique understanding of aesthetics, functionality, and user experience, adding depth to her coverage of hotels, resorts, and travel spaces. Editorial Philosophy "As an avid, research-driven traveller, my goal is simple. To answer the questions you actually have before booking a trip. I cut through the promotional noise with honest reporting and expert insights. Making travel planning seamless, smart, and reliable so you always know where to go next."Read More

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