Indian tourists want to explore foreign shores in 2015: Study

53% Indians will increase their travel budget in 2015

Indian travellers want to explore foreign shores in 2015 with Australia, Switzerland, New Zealand and France being the top dream destinations for Indian travellers in the next 24 months, says a study.

Indians have their sights set on foreign shores with the average number of international trips set to increase by 45 per cent which far exceeds the global average of 15 per cent, said the result of TripBarometer study, a survey conducted by TripAdvisor.

According to the study, more than half (53 per cent) Indians will increase their travel budget in 2015. Of those planning to increase their travel spend, 52 per cent indicate that they plan to do so because they feel vacations are something they or their family deserve and 46 per cent say it is because they are going somewhere on their 'wish list' this year.

Indians planning to spend an average of Rs 255,100 on travel in 2015, up 17 per cent year over year. Travellers from India reported spending an average of Rs 202,500 on their holidays in 2013. Looking at 2014 spend, this number increased by 8 per cent to Rs 217,800.

"Against the conducive backdrop of general optimism about the prospects of the Indian economy, both travelers and hoteliers are expressing clear intentions that paint a positive picture for the Indian travel sector in 2015. Significantly, this optimism looks set to translate into a sharp spike in the number of Indians travelling abroad this year. At the same time, Indian hoteliers ranked second on the global hotelier confidence index, resonating their own confidence in the economy's prospects," said Nikhil Ganju, Country Manager, TripAdvisor India.

With business optimism on the rise, India hoteliers are also planning to spend more in revamping their properties in 2015.