Travelers Want Unique Experiences, Purchases, Maximizing Value

American Express 2025 Global Travel Trends Report: From shopping for local and handmade goods, making a special trip for a luxury purchase or attending concerts and sporting events, Indian travelers are prioritizing unique experiences in 2025

Sanjay Khanna, CEO and Country Manager, American Express Banking Corp India

FinTech BizNews Service

Mumbai, April 15, 2025:  American Express India released the 2025 Global Travel Trends Report, capturing how Indian travelers are shifting gears with both intention and thoughtful planning. From shopping for local and handmade goods, making a special trip for a luxury purchase or attending concerts and sporting events, Indian travelers are prioritizing unique experiences in 2025, the report indicates.

Sanjay Khanna, CEO and Country Manager, American Express Banking Corp India said, "Indians are more informed and discerning than ever before and seek holistic experiences during their travel. At American Express, we understand the preferences of our Card Members and are committed to helping them unlock more value on travel, dining, shopping and entertainment - through each aspect of their journey.”

Top insights from American Express 2025 Global Travel Trends Report include:  

Indian travelers are prioritizing unique experiences and purchases.

• 92% Indians look for one-of-a-kind goods to remind them of their trip, so they have a story to share with friends and family.
• 84% Indians say it is important for them to support local small businesses while visiting a new destination.
• 81% Indians prioritize purchasing high-quality local goods (e.g., coffee beans, Persian rugs, Italian leather) on their next trip.
• 50% Indians are planning an international trip in 2025 to purchase a luxury good/investment piece.
• 58% Indians are planning to travel to both - domestic and international destinations to attend a specific concert or show.
• Indians are willing to go the distance and travel both domestically (36%) and internationally (32%) for a sporting event in 2025. Cricket (63%), football/soccer (38%) are the top sports Indians are planning to travel for this year!

Indians are savvy spenders and look to maximize value while traveling.

• 79% of Indians are planning to use rewards points for leisure travel (flights, hotels, car rentals) in 2025,
• 84% of Indians surveyed believe combining credit card rewards with other loyalty programs provides the best value for international trips.
• 50% Indians are linking their credit cards to dining partners in addition to everyday expenses.

Indians are tech friendly and do their research well before planning their travel.

• When planning a trip, Indians typically use reviews on travel websites (67%), social media (55%) and recommendations from friends / family (51%).
• Finding places that match interests (54%) and their budget (50%) are most important to Indians when selecting a destination.
• 79% of Indians typically download relevant travel apps before their trip.
• 48% Indians book all aspects of their trips on their smartphone or tablets

Survey Methodology: This Morning Consult poll was conducted between January 8 – 13, 2025 among a sample of 8,137 global respondents (which includes 2,011 US Adults, 1,022 Australia Adults, 1,020 Canada Adults, 1,015 UK Adults, 1,025 Japan Adults, 1,021 Mexico Adults and, 1,023 India Adults), who have at least a $50k+ income equivalent and typically travel at least once a year. The interviews were conducted online. Results from the full survey have a margin of error of plus or minus 2-3 percentage points. Some geographies may be weighted with fewer variables depending on local census data availability.