Travel trends: Babymoon, homestays, adventure travel gaining popularity

As 2017 draws to a close, new travel and tourism trends are emerging and babymoon and second honeymoons are on the rise, according to a survey by travel portal Yatra.

The Indian travel market is estimated to be $30 billion and will  continue to grow in double digits, the report states.  

"The tourism industry is witnessing creativity like never before. One of the most interesting trends spotted this year was, expectant parents, taking a vacation before their new bundle of joy arrives and couples taking a mini honeymoon to rekindle their love. The new age travellers are now rewriting old traditions to suit their increasingly demanding life schedules. An exotic mix of urban and nature destinations like Croatia, Greece, Brazil, Peru, Morocco are popular in this category of holidays," according to the survey.  

More Indians are looking at offbeat travel destinations and places like Alleppey, Gokarna, Munnar, Spiti Valley and Ziro are gaining quick popularity.

International destinations like Norway, Iceland, Peru, Seychelles and Vietnam are also are attracting Indians, who wish to explore beyond the conventional destinations.  

Tapping on the cultural appetite of the travellers, homestays  are a rapidly growing segment in the country as it provides a unique and local travel experience.

This year has seen more number of people exploring homestay options, especially in places like Goa, Kerala, Coorg and Pondicherry

Indians are taking to adventure travel in a big way. Demand for activities like scuba diving, skydiving, paragliding and water jet boards are on the increase.

In fact, a   lot of individuals are travelling to destinations only for the purpose of experiencing these activities.

International destinations receiving interest from adventure travellers are Scandinavia, South America, Southern Africa and the Mediterranean.

Self-driving is the country's new immersive travel experience. With better roads and highway connectivity, the young population is opting for road trips.