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Dubai, Singapore Tops Indian Travellers’ List
The MasterCard's MasterIndex of Consumer Confidence survey, conducted recently
amongst Indians planning personal air travel over the next 12 months had some
interesting revelations.
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| Dubai |
Commonly believed to be the done-to-death destinations, Singapore
and Dubai still hold some charm for most Indians over more exotic locations.
According to the survey, 17% of the respondents preferred Singapore as a destination
for their next overseas trip, followed by Dubai and Switzerland, at 14% each.
The other preferred destinations include Australia (10%), Nepal (10%) and the
UK (10%).
Thrashing all news and views about the onslaught of global carriers eating into
the Indian aviation industry, 67% of the respondents chose Air India as the
most preferred airline, followed by Jet Airways and Sahara Airlines at 12% each.
Aged between 18 - 64, 71% of the respondents preferred to book their flights
through travel agents, only 29% preferred to make their bookings directly with
the airline either personally, or via telephone or the internet. About 58% of
the respondents are likely to spend US$ 3001 - US$ 5000 (Rs 1,32,044-2,20,000),
32% are likely to spend below US$3000 (Rs 1,32,000), while 10% will budget at
US$ 5001 - US$ 10,000 (Rs 2,20,044- 4,40,000).
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| Singapore |
In terms of key influences on destination choice, 60% of the
respondents said they would like to travel to a destination they have not visited
previously. About 21% said they would choose the destination depending on time
availability. Another 21% said they would go to a place offering an unique and
enriching experience. Good shopping, educational opportunities and word-of-mouth
were cited among some other factors influencing choice.
Also, most respondents seem to be looking at travelling during their kids'
vacation. In terms of preferred time of travel, 21% of the respondents chose
May, followed by July and December at 12% each and November at 10%.
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