Grim eco outlook, but travellers make holiday plans: Survey

Travellers in India retain a strong intention to travel with preferences for cheaper domestic destinations amid a sagging rupee and looming budgetary concerns, says a survey.
According to a Mid Year Traveller Sentiment survey by TripAdvisor, travellers have not totally abandoned holiday plans with 41 per cent respondents wanting to take more holidays in 2013 as compared to 2012.
"The survey indicates that while budgetary concerns, economic uncertainty and the weakening rupee are driving travellers to alter their holidays, but they don't seem ready to abandon their vacation plans as yet," TripAdvisor India Country Manager Nikhil Ganju said.
"Though the balance may have tipped marginally in favour of domestic holidays, overall holiday estimates remain healthy with 60 per cent respondents still looking at taking between two to four holidays this year" he said.

Plans for domestic holidays show no detraction from travellers' estimates for 2013 taken at the beginning of the year, indicating that domestic vacations stay stable.
Providing that little extra impetus to domestic travel, 19 per cent respondents surveyed said they replaced their international holiday with a domestic one, on account of the staggering fall in rupee value.
Traveller sentiment, however, the survey points out stays optimistic on heading overseas for vacation.
36 per cent respondents believed they would take more international holidays in 2013 compared to their foreign vacations last year but mid-year, the sentiment sees a 7 per cent dip with 29 per cent now thinking they will end up taking more international holidays this year compared to 2012.