Thailand pips UAE to emerges as top New Year destination for Indians

Sri Lanka, Vietnam and Malaysia rounded off the top five international destinations for 2025, according to year-end travel trends by MakeMyTrip

Thailand has emerged as the most preferred international destination for Indian travellers during the year-end and New Year holiday period, overtaking the UAE to claim the top spot, according to booking data for 2025 by MakeMyTrip. The data is based on bookings made for travel between December 20 and January 5, 2026.

 

Thailand moved to the top position among international destinations for the New Year period, pushing the UAE to second place. Sri Lanka, Vietnam and Malaysia rounded off the top five international destinations for 2025.

 

Vietnam stood out as the fastest climber. Ranked seventh during the same period in 2024, it rose sharply to become the fourth most-booked international destination this year, reflecting growing interest in short-haul and affordable overseas trips.

   

Other popular international destinations included Indonesia, Singapore, the UK, the US and Hong Kong.

 

Rajesh Magow, co-founder and group CEO of MakeMyTrip, said the year-end trends reflect India’s growing appetite for both domestic and international travel, with travellers increasingly combining leisure breaks with spiritually enriching journeys.

 

"...Short-haul international travel also continues to see momentum, led by familiar regions even as newer destinations begin to gain traction. The impact of easier visa and visa-free access is playing out consistently, reinforcing India’s growing appetite for outbound travel," Magow said.   

 

Domestic travel remains strong

 

Domestic tourism continued to show steady growth during the year-end holiday window. Popular leisure destinations included Goa, Jaipur, Udaipur, Manali and Jaisalmer, while hill stations such as Munnar, Darjeeling, Ooty and Mussoorie also saw strong bookings.

 

Among domestic holiday packages, Kerala topped the list, followed by Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, the Andaman Islands and Tamil Nadu.

 

Alongside leisure trips, more travellers are using the New Year period for spiritual journeys. Pilgrimage travel accounted for 22.9 per cent of bookings in 2025, compared with 24.8 per cent last year, while leisure travel made up 77.1 per cent of bookings.

 

Destinations such as Puri, Varanasi, Madurai, Rameshwaram, Amritsar, Ayodhya, Ujjain, Dwarka, Udupi and Tirupati recorded strong demand during the period.

 

The data also pointed to a clear premiumisation trend. While bookings in the ₹2,500-₹5,000 per night category saw a slight moderation, the ₹5,000-₹7,500 segment gained share, showing that travellers are increasingly willing to spend more for comfort and upgraded hotel and homestay stays.

 

Short-haul international travel continued to gain momentum, led by familiar destinations in Southeast Asia and West Asia. Easier visa processes and visa-free access for Indians have played a key role in supporting outbound travel growth.