By IANS,
New Delhi : Global travellers go to beaches to relax but Indians are a sharp contrast as they prefer beach vacations with new experiences, a new survey reveals.
The 2012 Flip Flop Report, an analysis of behaviour and preferences among beachgoers in Asia, North America, South America, Europe and Australia by Expedia.co.in, one of the world’s largest online travel agencies, referred to the shift towards experiential travel amongst Indians.
“The survey reveals that as opposed to the general perception of high price sensitivity, the most important criteria for Indians to decide on a beach vacation is food and beverage reputation as well as the novelty of the destination,” said Manmeet Ahluwalia, Marketing Head, Expedia India.
The report was released Wednesday.
“When Indian adults were asked to choose between spending time at the beach and spending time with family, among other options, the beach won handily.
“Eighty percent of Indian travelers are already planning to go for a beach vacation within 12 months,” he added.
The study was conducted by Harris Interactive, on behalf of Expedia, Feb 14-March 21 among more than 8,000 adults in 21 countries.
While the average stays for a beach vacation is 7.7 days globally, Indians fall below average at 5.4 days.
The specific findings for Indians include:
* Given a choice 30 percent would opt for beach holiday with plenty of relaxation time, and 27 percent for a romantic holiday with spouse/partner.
* Food and beverage reputation, along with novelty of the destination, have the highest importance, with the total cost of travel ranking at 5th position (71 percent). India ranks highest globally in giving preference to food and beverage. Other factors include fun night life (69 percent) and activities at the beach (67 percent)
* Seventy-one percent of Indians are prepared to spend Rs. 15,000 or more on a beach trip
* Over 56 percent now consult magazines, travel sites and research for destinations and 60 percent rely on recommendations from friends, peers or family
* Sixty-eight percent of Indian women look for a secluded beach environment.