Cambodia Searches Rise 10x As Indians Look Beyond Usual Holiday Destinations

India’s festive travel season is seeing a sharp rise in demand, with bookings across travel categories growing three to four times year-on-year between October and December, according to travel fintech platform Scapia. While popular destinations such as Goa and established hill stations continue to attract travellers, interest is also growing in smaller coastal towns, island getaways, heritage destinations, wildlife experiences and emerging international hotspots. Scroll down to know more.

Smaller Beach Towns And Island Getaways Gain Popularity

Bookings for beach and hill stays during Dussehra week have each increased 3.5 times year-on-year. Goa bookings have risen 4.4 times, while Gokarna has recorded an eightfold increase, followed by Varkala and Kollam. Hill destinations such as Srinagar, Mussoorie and Manali have seen bookings grow six to seven times. Closer to Mumbai, searches for Igatpuri have increased 4.5 times.

Island holidays are also gaining traction, with October check-ins in the Andaman Islands rising fivefold. Travellers are exploring Havelock and the Neil Islands alongside Port Blair, while Lakshadweep is also seeing increased bookings. Bookings for Vistadome coaches have doubled this festive season. Popular scenic routes include Pune-Mumbai through Bhor Ghat, Bengaluru-Mangaluru, Visakhapatnam-Araku Valley and the Kalka-Shimla railway. Searches and bookings for beach stays during Diwali week have increased 4.8 times year-on-year, while international flight bookings are up approximately fourfold. Beach holidays average close to two nights, with nearly one in three stays booked at five-star properties. Three in 10 bookings include children, highlighting family travel.

Also Read: How India Is Using AI To Find Accident-Prone Highway Stretches Before They Turn Deadly

Southeast Asia Leads International Travel

Heritage stay bookings are running at 4.8 times last year’s level. While Jaipur and Udaipur remain popular, bookings for Ajanta-Ellora have risen 4.9 times and Kumbhalgarh 4.6 times. Safari stay bookings between October and December have increased 6.6 times year-on-year, with Ranthambore, Gir and Jim Corbett among the leading destinations.

International travel is also growing, with Christmas and New Year flight bookings at 5.4 times last year’s level and international stay bookings up 5.2 times. Southeast Asia accounts for more than half of international flight bookings on Scapia. Thailand remains the most popular destination, followed by Vietnam and Singapore. Searches for Cambodia have increased tenfold, while the Philippines is also gaining interest. Central Asia is emerging as another popular choice, with searches for Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan reaching new highs. Travellers are booking these trips around two weeks in advance, compared with four weeks last year.

Also Read: Video: Mysore Palace Sees Tourist Jam In Long Weekend; Netizens: & Some Still Stuck On Highway&

In Europe, searches for the UK, Germany and Czechia have grown approximately 4.5 times. Greece, Portugal, Poland and Denmark are also attracting interest, alongside Australia and New Zealand for longer holidays. The findings point to growing demand for diverse, experience-led festive holidays across India and overseas.

Cover Image Courtesy: Pexels/Serg Alesenko

For more such snackable content, interesting discoveries and the latest updates on food, travel and experiences in your city, download the Curly Tales App. Download HERE.