A new report reveals that more Indians are travelling than ever before, both internationally and domestically, with a staggering 97 million passengers passing through Indian airports in the first three months of 2024 alone.

The “Travel Trends 2024: Breaking Boundaries” report by the Mastercard Economics Institute (MEI) offers comprehensive insights into the evolving travel industry across 74 markets, including 13 in the Asia Pacific region (APAC).

“In 2024, driven by a growing middle class and expanded route capacity, more Indians are travelling internationally than ever before. In the first quarter of 2024, 97 million passengers travelled through Indian airports. Just a decade ago, this number would have taken a whole year to achieve,” the report states.

Domestic air passenger traffic surged 21% above 2019 levels, while international travel increased by 4%.

The report highlights that Indian travellers are increasingly exploring key markets, with visits to Japan up by 53%, Vietnam by 248%, and the United States by 59% compared to 2019, despite a stronger US dollar.

Amsterdam, followed by Singapore, London, Frankfurt, and Melbourne, are the top five trending destinations for Indian travellers this summer (June – August 2024), based on changes in flight bookings.

“Consumers in the Asia Pacific region have an intense desire and willingness to travel and are becoming increasingly savvy to ensure they get the best value and unforgettable experiences from their trips. For tourism authorities, retailers, the hospitality and F&B sectors, the bottom line is that costs matter,” said David Mann, chief economist for Asia Pacific at Mastercard, in a statement.

The report also notes that consumers globally continue to prioritise experiences over material goods, with spending on experiences, especially nightlife, accounting for “12 % of tourism sales” — the highest point in at least five years. Additionally, a burgeoning fine dining scene in India has led to a marginal outperformance in the fine dining category for in-destination tourism dining.

“As of March 2024, spending on casual dining rose by 49.2%, while fine dining saw a 55.2 % increase compared to the previous year,” the report adds.

The Mastercard Economics Institute, launched in 2020, analyses macroeconomic trends through the lens of the consumer.

(With inputs from PTI)