India's travel sector is undergoing a structural shift. Travellers are taking more frequent trips, venturing beyond traditional tourist circuits, and increasingly relying on digital platforms to discover and plan journeys. Easier visa policies, rising disposable incomes, and the growing influence of social media are further reshaping how Indians travel within the country and abroad.

Agoda's India business reflects this momentum. According to Tracxn data, Agoda International India Pvt. Ltd. reported revenue of ₹47.5 crore in FY25, up 48% year-on-year, while net profit rose 64% to ₹5 crore. Its technology services arm, Agoda Information Technology Services India Pvt. Ltd., posted revenue of ₹147.9 crore and net profit of ₹16 crore in FY25, registering growth of 49% and 67%, respectively.

Against this backdrop, India has emerged as a key growth market for Agoda, with strong momentum across domestic and outbound travel, particularly to destinations in Southeast Asia and the country's emerging leisure hotspots. As competition intensifies in the online travel space, the company is doubling down on localisation, technology, and value-driven offerings to deepen its presence in the market.

In an interview with Fortune India, Gaurav Malik, country director, Indian Subcontinent & Indian Ocean Islands at Agoda, discusses the trends shaping travel demand in 2026, the growing role of artificial intelligence, the rise of secondary destinations, and how the online travel platform is positioning itself for the next phase of growth. Edited excerpts:

What are the biggest travel trends Agoda is seeing among Indian travellers, and which destinations are benefiting the most?

The market has shown very strong momentum in 2026 across domestic travel, outbound travel, and inbound tourism into India. Domestic travel has been the standout. In the first quarter alone, we saw around a 23% year-on-year increase in searches.

Outbound travel is also growing strongly, particularly within Asia. Destinations such as Malaysia, Vietnam, Japan, Indonesia, and Thailand are witnessing significant growth in interest from Indian travellers.

Domestic demand remains extremely strong and continues to grow. While outbound travel is expanding rapidly, particularly to destinations with improved air connectivity and easier visa regimes, domestic tourism remains a major growth engine.

One of the most interesting trends is the rise of Northeast India. During the first quarter of 2026, we saw search growth of over 50% for destinations such as Gangtok, Guwahati and Jorhat.

Travellers are increasingly opting for shorter and more frequent leisure trips, and many of these are focused on secondary cities and lesser-explored destinations. Internationally, Southeast Asian destinations such as Malaysia, Vietnam, Indonesia and Thailand continue to attract Indian travellers, while Japan remains a strong aspirational destination.

The shift is being driven by increasingly experience-led travellers who are highly digital, mobile-first and heavily influenced by content discovery. Social media platforms have become powerful travel inspiration engines, while younger travellers, especially Gen Z, are actively seeking unique experiences and sharing them online, creating a virtuous cycle of discovery and demand.

How important is localisation to Agoda's India strategy?

Localisation is absolutely central to our strategy. Indian travellers expect convenience, relevance and value. To serve those expectations, we continue to invest in local payment methods, localised content, India-specific product features and customer experiences tailored to Indian preferences.

Our ambition is to become the most local global OTA in every market we operate in, especially India. We want Indian travellers to experience Agoda as a global platform that understands local needs.

Agoda recently launched its 'The World is Saif' campaign. What role do such campaigns play in your India strategy?

The campaign is built around a simple consumer insight: Indian travellers care deeply about value.

Whether someone is booking a luxury holiday or a short business trip, finding the best price matters. The campaign communicates that message through culturally relevant storytelling that resonates with Indian consumers.

We've also partnered with creators and personalities such as Shikhar Dhawan and Sumeet Vyas to connect with audiences across different demographics and geographies.

How is Agoda leveraging AI, and how ready are Indian travellers to adopt AI-powered travel planning?

Technology has always been at the core of Agoda, and AI is helping us make travel more seamless, efficient and personalised.

We are using AI across several areas, including pricing optimisation, customer support, destination discovery and personalised recommendations. AI helps travellers find the most relevant options faster, discover better deals and receive support more efficiently. It is improving every stage of the travel journey, from planning and booking to post-booking support.

Indian travellers are among the most receptive to AI-powered travel planning. According to our recent travel outlook report, 68% of Indian travellers said they are likely to use AI to plan trips, one of the highest adoption rates globally.

This indicates that AI is rapidly becoming part of the travel planning process, and we expect its role to continue expanding in the years ahead.

The online travel industry is intensely competitive. How does Agoda differentiate itself?

Competition is healthy because it pushes everyone to improve.

Our differentiation comes from our focus on value, technology and localisation. We want travellers to associate Agoda with great prices, extensive choice and a seamless booking experience. As the travel market continues to grow, there is room for multiple players to succeed, but our focus remains firmly on delivering value to customers.

Beyond metros, what trends are driving travel demand in emerging destinations, and how significant is event-led tourism?

We're seeing strong growth from secondary cities and emerging destinations. For example, searches for destinations such as Puducherry and Ooty have risen significantly year-on-year.

These trends suggest that awareness of Agoda is expanding beyond traditional metropolitan markets and reaching a broader traveller base across the country.

Event-led travel is also becoming increasingly important. Whether it's major concerts, sporting events such as the IPL, or large entertainment festivals, these events create meaningful spikes in travel demand.

Consumers today are increasingly willing to travel for experiences. As more global artists, performers and sporting events come to India, event-driven tourism is likely to become an even bigger contributor to travel growth.

How resilient is the Indian travel market during periods of geopolitical uncertainty?

The Indian travel market has demonstrated remarkable resilience over the years, particularly after the pandemic.

What we generally observe is that demand shifts rather than disappears. If one destination becomes less accessible, travellers often choose alternative destinations.

Today, we're continuing to see strong demand for both domestic travel and intra-Asia travel, which underscores the resilience of Indian consumers.

Rising fuel prices and currency fluctuations can impact travel affordability. How can travel platforms respond?

During periods of volatility, travellers become even more focused on value, flexibility and choice.

This is where technology and scale become important. Large platforms can help consumers discover the best available options, compare prices efficiently and adapt their travel plans when required.

As Indian consumers remain highly value-conscious, helping them find the right balance between affordability and experience will continue to be a key priority.

India's travel story remains one of the strongest growth narratives in the global tourism industry. As travellers venture beyond traditional destinations, embrace AI-powered planning tools, and increasingly travel for experiences rather than itineraries, online travel platforms are being forced to evolve rapidly.

For Agoda, the opportunity lies at the intersection of technology, localisation and value. With domestic travel booming, outbound demand rising across Asia, and emerging destinations gaining prominence, the company sees India not merely as a growth market, but as a blueprint for the future of travel in the digital age.