Scapia Sees Astonishing 65 percent Surge In Bookings To Visa-Free Destinations This Summer – Travel And Tour World

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Scapia reports a remarkable 65% surge in bookings to visa-free destinations this summer, highlighting a significant trend in travel preferences among global travelers.

Scapia has reported a remarkable 65% surge in average monthly flight bookings for visa-free destinations this summer. Impulsive travel plans and the preference for hassle-free travel led to a 64% increase in average monthly flight bookings to visa-free countries compared to January. Destinations like Qatar, Kazakhstan, and Kenya were popular among travelers, alongside Asian favorites like Thailand, Malaysia, and Hong Kong.

Henley Passport Index Highlights

For the first time, six countries have tied for the top position in the 2024 Henley Passport Index, showcasing unprecedented visa-free access to a record number of destinations. This index, founded on exclusive data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA), highlights that four EU nations—France, Germany, Italy, and Spain—along with Japan and Singapore, hold the most powerful passports globally, granting their citizens visa-free entry to an impressive 194 out of 227 destinations worldwide. Notably, Japan and Singapore have maintained their dominance at the top of the index for five consecutive years. The correlation between economic performance and visa-free travel, along with openness to international trade, investment, and skill exchange, is emphatically reinforced by the research in this year’s report.

Indian Tourism Market Trends

In India, the tourism market has seen significant trends shaping the season. According to Scapia’s data, there was a notable 30% increase in travel bookings from February to May 2024 compared to January 2024. Domestically, popular destinations included Goa, Varanasi, Srinagar, Port Blair, and Leh, while internationally, travelers favored UAE, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, and Sri Lanka. Although Paris, London, and San Francisco were among the top 10 destinations, Southeast Asian countries were particularly popular this summer. Scapia noted that 35% of summer season bookings (Feb-May ’24) for international destinations were in Southeast Asian countries, featuring lesser-known spots like Penida Island (Indonesia), Nonthaburi (Thailand), and Kowloon (Hong Kong).

Rise of Solo Travel

Indian travelers are increasingly embracing solo journeys, with solo travel gaining popularity as a symbol of independent adventure. Southeast Asia remains a top choice for solo travelers, with Thailand and Malaysia seeing a 4X increase in popularity. Nepal is also becoming popular among Scapia’s solo travelers, experiencing a 3X increase in bookings. Women travelers in India led the solo travel trend this summer, with a 47% growth in bookings on Scapia, outpacing men, who saw a 39% rise in solo travel from February to May 2024 compared to January 2024. This trend is mirrored by a rise in bookings to domestic hotspots like Goa and international favorites like Thailand. The increase in women’s solo travel reflects a positive shift in the Indian travel and tourism market, attributed to technological advancements offering real-time travel support, enhanced security measures, and the abundance of online travel information.

Airline Industry Recovery

In 2024, the airline industry is recovering from the Covid-induced crisis, with total traffic matching and surpassing 2019 levels this February. However, traffic between Asia and Europe remains affected by the war in Ukraine, though connectivity to Asia Pacific is expected to be fully restored this year. The anticipated increase in total passenger numbers for 2024 is 10.4% year-on-year (YoY) or 11.6% in revenue passenger kilometers (RPK). Africa is the only region likely to see a contraction in passenger numbers this year, despite strong traffic in 2023. The Middle East is forecast to have a more favorable economic environment in 2024, despite geopolitical tensions. Europe is expected to see solid growth in passenger numbers, particularly in smaller economies.

Long-term Passenger Growth Projections

Over the next 20 years, global passenger numbers are expected to increase by 3.8% per year on average, resulting in over four billion additional passenger journeys by 2043 compared to 2023. European and North American markets are projected to see slower demand growth, at 2.3% and 2.7% per year, respectively. Asia Pacific is anticipated to record the fastest rise in passenger numbers, contributing to more than half of the net increase in global passenger numbers by 2043.