Ahead of International Women’s Day 2026, travel platform Scapia has released data revealing a surge in solo travel among Indian women, with bookings nearly nine times higher year-on-year. Beach destinations dominate their choices, accounting for over 80% of domestic leisure trips. The trends highlight growing independence in travel planning across generations and transport modes.
The data from Scapia, a travel-fintech platform, underscores a significant shift in Indian women's travel behavior. Solo travel bookings have increased nearly 9X year-on-year, reflecting greater autonomy in selecting destinations, transport, and accommodations. Women are planning end-to-end itineraries for both domestic and international journeys.
Mobility across transport options has risen sharply: train bookings by women grew 16.5 times year-on-year, bus bookings 11 times, and flight bookings 8.2 times. This growth supports more frequent regional and long-distance travel, especially in southern India.
Domestically, over 80% of women's leisure bookings target beach destinations rather than hill stations. Popular spots include Goa, Port Blair, Kovalam, Poovar, Varkala, and Diu, offering scenic coastlines and relaxed experiences.
Internationally, Southeast Asia leads with destinations like Krabi, Phuket, Langkawi, Phu Quoc, Bali, and Gili Trawangan. Southeast Asia and the Indian subcontinent make up 62.6% of outbound trips, aided by visa-free or visa-on-arrival policies for over 60% of top destinations. Vietnam is a fast-growing choice, with visits to Hanoi, Da Nang, Ho Chi Minh City, Phu Quoc, Ha Long, and Sa Pa.
Spiritual travel remains relevant, varying by generation. Gen Z women favor scenic sites like Varanasi and Rishikesh, while millennials prefer pilgrimage centers such as Shirdi, Haridwar, Amritsar, and Velankanni.
Generational preferences differ: Gen Z opts for mid-range stays (nearly half their bookings, up 8X year-on-year) and cultural sites like Jaisalmer, Udaipur, Hampi, Agra, and Varanasi, including offbeat towns and weekend getaways near metros like Lonavala. Millennials drive luxury travel, with one-third of bookings for premium stays, favoring coasts like Goa and Pondicherry.
Beyond Southeast Asia, Japan attracts with Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Hakone, and Fujikawaguchiko. Central Asia is emerging, including Georgia (Tbilisi, Batumi, Borjomi), Kazakhstan (Almaty), Uzbekistan (Tashkent), and Tajikistan. Island spots like Mauritius and Seychelles are gaining. Europe, though smaller in share, draws milestone trips to London, Paris, Amsterdam, and Vienna.
These insights, released on March 7, 2026, illustrate Indian women's expanding influence on tourism through independent and diverse travel patterns.