As Indian travellers become more flexible, value-conscious, and experience-driven, travel planning is evolving rapidly with the help of technology and data-led insights. In an exclusive email interview, Neel Ghose, Travel Trends and Destinations Expert, Skyscanner, shares how Skyscanner is adapting to changing traveller behaviour through AI-powered discovery tools, flexible search features, and smarter planning solutions. He also highlights emerging summer travel trends, hidden gem destinations gaining popularity among Indian travellers, and the growing influence of purpose-driven travel on destination choices and booking patterns.
Could you briefly share your role at Skyscanner and the kind of travel insights you work on?
As a Travel Expert at Skyscanner, I am one of a handful of trained experts globally who analyse travel trends based on Skyscanner’s data and share relevant travel insights and tips for the Indian market. Travel in India is at an inflexion point today. It’s no longer seen as occasional or aspirational, but increasingly as an essential part of lifestyle and self-expression. Being at Skyscanner allows me to work at the intersection of this cultural shift and technology, helping shape how travellers discover, plan, and experience journeys in a smarter, more seamless way.
How is Skyscanner evolving its platform to cater to the changing needs of Indian travellers today?
Indian travellers today are far more informed, flexible, and value-conscious than ever before, and our platform is evolving in line with these expectations. We are seeing a clear shift from static planning to more dynamic decision-making. Travellers are no longer locking in one destination or set of dates early on. Instead, they are exploring multiple options, comparing routes, and adapting plans based on value and convenience.
To support this evolving traveller behaviour, Skyscanner is focused on making trip planning simpler and more flexible. For instance, features like our Whole Month view help travellers quickly identify the most cost-effective travel windows, making it easier to plan around price fluctuations without needing to search day by day.
At the same time, we’re also evolving how travellers search altogether. With the launch of the Skyscanner app in ChatGPT, travellers can now search for flights in a far more natural and conversational way, whether that’s asking for the cheapest flights to Japan in August or exploring destinations within a certain budget. It reflects a broader shift we’re seeing, where travellers increasingly want answers and recommendations, not just search results.
We’re continuing to invest in discovery-led experiences powered by AI, helping travellers move beyond obvious choices and uncover destinations that better match their preferences, budgets, and travel intent.
What key trends are you currently observing in travel search and booking behaviour among Indian users on Skyscanner?
Summer in 2026 is shaping up to be a highly intent-driven travel season. Our latest insights from the “Smarter Summer Report” show that nearly 9 in 10 Indians are either planning or have already booked their summer holidays, which reflects a strong and sustained appetite for travel.
What’s changing, however, is how travellers are approaching planning. There is a clear shift towards smarter, more adaptive behaviour. For instance, 48% of travellers are closely tracking airfare fluctuations, while 45% are evaluating overall trip value more carefully.
We are also seeing growing flexibility in decision-making. Instead of cancelling trips, many travellers are adjusting, whether that means switching destinations, rethinking travel dates, or exploring alternative routes. In fact, 30% are willing to change destinations altogether if it helps optimise costs or improve the experience.
Another standout trend is the move towards offbeat travel. Around 81% of travellers are open to lesser-known destinations, and 60% are actively seeking quieter, less crowded places. This reflects a broader shift from “where everyone is going” to “where else can I go,” signalling a more confident and curious traveller mindset.
Skyscanner has been focusing on smarter travel planning—how does the platform empower users to make more informed and cost-effective travel decisions?
Smarter travel planning today is about giving travellers the right information at the right time, so they can make decisions that balance cost, convenience, and experience.
At Skyscanner, we enable this through a combination of data-driven insights and intuitive tools. Tools like Price Alerts help travellers monitor fare movements in real time and book when prices are more favourable, while DROPS helps travellers discover flights that have seen price drops of over 20% compared to their lowest point in the last seven days
We’re also seeing that travellers are becoming more aware of pricing patterns. As seen in our Smarter Summer Report, 58% already believe that months like July can offer better value compared to peak periods like August. Our platform builds on this awareness by helping users validate and act on these insights instantly.
Ultimately, the goal is to shift travellers from reactive booking to proactive planning, where they feel informed, in control, and confident about getting the best possible value for their trip.
With Summer Travel 2026 approaching, what are some strategies travellers can adopt to “outsmart” peak season travel in terms of pricing and planning?
Outsmarting peak season travel isn’t about cutting back on plans; it’s about being smarter with how you plan them. Airfares can move quickly during high-demand periods, so being open to different dates, nearby airports, or alternative destinations can make a meaningful difference. Mixing and matching airlines or airports instead of booking a standard return route can also help travellers unlock better value.
A useful first step is to search broadly before narrowing down. Tools like Skyscanner’s Explore Everywhere search really come into play. It allows travellers to instantly scan multiple destinations based on their budget and dates, making it easier to spot unexpected deals and make smarter, value-led decisions.
Travellers can also benefit from flying during less popular hours, such as late evening or overnight flights, which are often more affordable while also maximising time at the destination. For longer journeys, considering indirect routes instead of only direct flights can sometimes unlock significant savings while also offering the opportunity to explore an additional destination along the way.
Additionally, travellers can refer to Skyscanner’s “Smarter Summer Report” for some of the cheapest days, weeks, and alternative destinations to travel to during the summer period.
Could you highlight a few emerging or hidden gem destinations that Indian travellers should consider this summer?
We’re seeing strong interest in destinations that offer a mix of value, uniqueness, and relatively lower crowds. Through Skyscanner’s Smarter Summer Report, we analysed traveller behaviour, search trends, and summer travel planning patterns to identify the destinations gaining the most traction among Indian travellers this season.
In our list of the top cheapest destinations for the season, we’re seeing domestic destinations such as Kozhikode, Diu, Puducherry, Shillong, and Jammu emerge strongly, offering travellers a mix of cultural depth, scenic beauty, and relatively more accessible price points compared to traditional hotspots.
Internationally, destinations such as Penang in Malaysia, Krabi in Thailand, and Phnom Penh in Cambodia also featured among destinations seeing growing interest from Indian travellers looking for affordable yet enriching experiences.
What’s particularly interesting is that this shift towards hidden gems is not just about cost. Travellers are actively seeking quieter, more meaningful experiences, with many prioritising destinations that allow them to engage more deeply with local culture and communities.
How do you see the rise of purpose-driven travel influencing destination choices and travel patterns in the coming years?
Purpose-driven travel is becoming a defining force in how trips are planned and experienced. Today’s travellers are not just asking “where can I go,” but “what will I take away from this experience.” This shift is already visible in our data, with nearly 9 in 10 travellers saying it’s important that their holiday spend benefits local communities and small businesses.
As a result, we expect to see continued movement towards destinations that offer authenticity, cultural immersion, and a sense of connection. This aligns closely with the growing interest in offbeat and community-led travel, as well as the willingness to move away from crowded, mainstream locations.
In the long term, this will reshape travel patterns significantly. Destinations that may have previously been overlooked will gain prominence, while travellers increasingly prioritise impact, meaning, and personal relevance alongside value.
For Skyscanner, this means continuing to enable discovery and helping travellers uncover options that align not just with their budgets, but with their values and travel intent.
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