Travel companies said the conflict in West Asia, which was at its peak when most families made their summer bookings earlier this year, prompted travellers to avoid itineraries routed through the region. Higher airfares to Europe further accelerated a shift that was already under way towards destinations offering shorter flight times, lower costs and easier visa access.
“The West Asia situation added caution around routing choices, and higher fares at European leisure destinations did the rest. Together, they accelerated a trend that was already building,” said Pallavi Saxena, chief marketing and revenue officer at Cleartrip.
Southeast Asia had already emerged as a favourite among Indian travellers last summer, led by Bangkok, Bali and Singapore.
“What changed this year is the spread: more destinations, newer markets like Almaty entering the mix, and the eastward pull broadening well beyond the usual favourites,” said Saxena.
On Cleartrip, bookings to the Philippines have tripled from a year earlier, while Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, Singapore, Bali, Colombo and Almaty also recorded strong growth.
According to Yatra Online, family bookings to Asia have risen 30-40% year-on-year, with Thailand, Vietnam, Japan and Indonesia emerging as the preferred summer travel destinations.”Overall bookings (including solo and business travellers) to Asia during May-June 2026 increased 25-35% year-on-year, while bookings to Europe declined 10-15% over the same period,” said Bharatt Malik, senior vice-president, air and hotel business at Yatra Online.
Europe continues to be an aspirational destination, but demand has softened gradually over the past few years, experts said.
Yatra’s internal data, shared with ET, shows the region accounted for 25-30% of international bookings in 2024, compared with 23-27% in 2025 and 15-20% this year.
“Higher airfares to Europe and increased overall trip costs have also influenced destination choices,” said Malik.
Among Asian destinations, Yatra recorded year-on-year booking growth of about 30% for Japan, 30-40% for Vietnam, 30-35% for Thailand, 25-30% for Bali and Cambodia, and about 20% for the Philippines.
MakeMyTrip also reported strong growth in international hotel and homestay bookings during the April-June quarter, led by the Philippines, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Mauritius, Vietnam and Nepal.
“While Europe continues to remain a sought-after holiday destination, this summer we have seen strong interest in Asian destinations such as Japan, Vietnam, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia and the Philippines,” said SD Nandakumar, president and country head – holidays and corporate tours at SOTC Travel.
The trend reflects a broader recalibration in how Indian families plan overseas holidays, said Hari Ganapathy, CEO and co-founder of Pickyourtrail.
“Travellers are still looking for premium, well-planned experiences, but they are being more conscious of budget, visa timelines, flight routes and overall convenience. Asia is benefiting strongly from that shift,” he said.
On Pickyourtrail, bookings to Japan have risen more than 150% year-on-year, while Thailand recorded growth of 60-65% and Vietnam 30-40%.
SOTC said demand remains robust across families, couples, multi-generational groups and friends seeking personalised, experience-led holidays.
Thomas Cook India also reported strong demand for Asian destinations, with bookings to Japan and Vietnam rising 20-25% year-on-year.
“Rather than a shift away from Europe, we are witnessing a diversification of destination choices, with travellers balancing long-haul holidays with shorter, experience-rich getaways,” said Rajeev Kale, president and country head-holidays, MICE, Visa, Thomas Cook (India) Limited.
Last summer, Thailand, Singapore and Dubai were among Thomas Cook India’s top-selling short-haul destinations, Kale added.
