MakeMyTrip, an online travel platform, has introduced a new feature called ‘Incredible India Incredible Prices’ to address the issue that leisure travelers face when searching for affordable airfare to multiple destinations within India. The feature allows users to filter flights based on the most economical options according to their desired month of travel and travel category, such as adventure, heritage, religious, romantic, wildlife, beach, hills & mountains, and honeymoon.
In addition to offering affordable flight options, the feature also provides information on the top things to do in each destination, giving travelers a comprehensive view of various destinations in India. This feature aims to make it easier for travelers to explore the country and discover new places in just a few clicks.
The COVID-19 pandemic has led to an increase in domestic tourism in India, with travelers exploring their own country like never before. MakeMyTrip’s on-platform data shows that travelers in the age groups of 22-30 years and 36-45 years have a strong inclination to travel and book multiple holidays each year. However, the cost of flight tickets often becomes a deciding factor for leisure travelers, leading to the postponement of travel plans.
MakeMyTrip’s data also reveals that leisure segment bookings require more searches to finalize flight bookings compared to the business segment. Travelers in the leisure category tend to compare prices for multiple destinations before making their final reservations, which can be a time-consuming process.
The ‘Incredible India Incredible Prices’ feature is expected to change the behavior of leisure travelers when it comes to advance flight bookings. Preliminary data shows that more than 60% of consumers exploring destinations in the Incredible India funnel on the platform book tickets at least 30 days in advance, taking advantage of cheaper fares. This indicates a shift in the advance purchase patterns for leisure travelers.
The Ministry of Tourism has launched the ‘Incredible India’ initiative to showcase the rich tourism potential of India. It provides a platform for tourism stakeholders to promote various destinations and products.
Overall, MakeMyTrip’s new feature aims to promote domestic tourism in India by offering affordable flight options and providing information on popular activities in each destination. The early results have been encouraging, with a significant increase in searches for leisure destinations on the Incredible India funnel compared to the regular flight funnel.