Planning holidays in advance is a thing of the past, says a study

Booking flight tickets and hotels months in advance while planning a vacation is a thing of the past as more and more Indians are turning into impulse holidaymakers, a study carried out by travel marketplace Ixigo said. (But, Google’s data indicates a different trend. Read the story here.)
According to the survey, more than 30 per cent of those planning to travel within the country, booked their flights the same month in which they intended to travel.
For those planning to fly overseas, this figure was even higher – 50 per cent of the total number of people surveyed.
The firm analysed data from over two lakh users on its platform. The sample studied involved equal representation of men and women, between the ages 18 and 65 years, from across the country.
The survey stated that when it comes to hotel bookings, over 48 per cent of domestic and 43 per cent of international travellers make reservations within 30 days of the intended travel.
In contrast, only 16 per cent domestic and less than 25 per cent international travellers booked hotels four or more months in advance, it highlighted.
Aloke Bajpai, CEO and co-founder of Ixigo attributes the trend to the use of technology, which has simplified an otherwise arduous procedure of booking flights and holidays.
“This is due to the flexibility to book anytime anywhere that travellers enjoy due to advanced technology, uninterrupted connectivity and easy updates that keep them informed about fare prediction, offers and online reviews,” Bajpai said.
He said that higher purchasing power among travellers as well as enticing offers across the travel industry enable them to make smarter decisions.
Launched in 2007, ixigo claims to connect over 80 million travellers to over 100 travel suppliers and online travel agencies. It aggregates and compares real-time travel information, prices and availability for flights, trains, buses, cabs, hotels and packages.