More Indian travellers plan ahead for a holistic international holiday in 2025: AMEX report

Nearly half of those who travel abroad at least once in a year, purchase a luxury good or investment piece. 
| Photo Credit:
Dimple Bhati

Indian travellers are savvier and better organised about how they spend on vacations. According to the American Express 2025 Global Travel Trends Report, nearly half of those who travel abroad at least once in a year, purchase a luxury good or investment piece. They combine credit card rewards with airline or hotel loyalty programme to get the best value and plan their trips carefully, perusing reviews on websites and taking recommendations from friends and family before travelling.

The global report is prepared on the basis of an online interview conducted during first half of January.

The sample size was over 8000 adult respondents from US, Australia, Canada, UK, Japan, Mexico and India. Each of the respondent has at least a $50k+ income equivalent and typically travels at least once a year. Based on the interviews, the report captured how Indian travellers are shifting gears with intention and thoughtful planning.

“From shopping for local and handmade goods, making a special trip for a luxury purchase or attending concerts and sporting events, Indian travellers are prioritising unique experiences in 2025,” the report said.

It found Indians are savvy spenders and look to maximise value while traveling as 79 per cent of them are planning to use rewards points for leisure travel (flights, hotels, car rentals) in 2025.

84 per cent of Indians surveyed believe that combining credit card rewards with other loyalty programs provides the best value for international trips. 50 per cent Indians are linking their credit cards with dining partners in addition to everyday expenses.

According to the report, Indians are tech friendly and do their research well before planning their travel. When planning a trip, Indians typically use reviews on travel websites (67 per cent), social media (55 per cent) and recommendations from friends / family (51 per cent). Finding places that match interests (54 per cent) and their budget (50 per cent) are most important when selecting a destination. 79 per cent typically download relevant travel apps before their trip. 48 per cent book all aspects of their trips on their smartphone or tablets