Dreaming of snow-capped mountains amid the polluted hustle of the city? Your next vacation might be knocking. But most travellers tend to prefer the part that actually comes after planning a trip. Boarding the flight and grabbing an overpriced coffee at the airport – that’s the first step to an exciting vacation.
Based on the Women and Travel Decisions Report 2025 by Thrillophilia, it noted a quiet but significant change among Indian families taking a vacation. This is not just limited to choosing the place to visit, but also making the crucial decision of planning the logistics. From booking travel to accommodations, the report found that women have complete influence over 72% leisure trips being planned in India.
The report analysed 212,000 itineraries and 8.9 million planning signals, which pointed out some gender-based patterns across Indian households. Here’s a look at how women book, plan, and lock in for their dream vacation.
From quality upgrades to conscious spending: Do women do it better?
As we celebrate International Men’s Day today, this report busts some myths about the conventional roles society usually assigns to men. However, results from this Thrillophilia report rapidly question the status quo.
The report found that women are careful planners and place great emphasis on making the right choice before confirming a trip. On average, they tend to book nine days ahead of time, which reduces the overall effective price of the entire trip. Trips booked by women tend to have an 18% lower cancellation rate as they rely heavily on reviews, photos, and repeated confirmation of itineraries. However, while the planning may be dominated by women, 62% of the payments are still made by men.
Do you tend to have a more ‘aesthetic’ trip when planned by women? The report found so. Pointing at the carefully planned decisions, it was reported that 28% of women opt for quality upgrades, but end up limiting the spend within 6% of men’s. The price point is much lower compared to the quality of bookings.
Where are women going?
When it comes to holidays within India, women are gravitating toward slower, value-focused destinations such as Rajasthan and Kerala, with Goa close behind. For international trips, they’re choosing places that offer both luxury and good value — including Bali, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.
In fact, women apply over three times more safety filters, resulting in overall lower emergencies on the actual trip. It has led to an overall 23% drop in SOS calls. When we talk about cities, women-dominated vacations are increasing in Indore, Ahmedabad, Lucknow, and Jaipur – tier 2 cities of India.
