Thailand–Cambodia clashes: Indian tourists scout safer New Year destinations; top picks

Indians are making changes to their travel patterns for the New Year, travelling to destinations beyond Thailand and Cambodia to regions like Vietnam, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Japan and parts of West Asia, travel industry executives said. The transition comes after the two south Asian nations have been at continued border violence. The clashes, which continued for nearly three weeks before a ceasefire came into effect from Saturday, reportedly left more than 100 people dead. The developments have dented demand for Thailand, a long-standing favourite for Indian festive travel, and Cambodia, which has increasingly featured as a cultural extension to Southeast Asian itineraries. According to Ravi Gosain, president of the Indian Association of Tour Operators, the impact on Thailand has been visible but contained. “For Thailand, enquiries have softened by around 10-20%, with fresh bookings down in the range of 8–15%,” he told ET. While some travellers have postponed or altered plans, outright cancellations have remained limited at 3–8%, as many opted to reroute trips within the country. Cambodia has faced a stronger reaction. Gosain said enquiries are down 20–35% year-on-year, with cancellations in the range of 8–18%. He added that Indian travellers began revisiting their travel plans within 48–72 hours of the clashes breaking out, followed by another round of adjustments closer to departure dates. Different traveller segments have responded differently to the situation. Families, first-time international travellers and high-spending leisure customers have been more cautious, Gosain said, while younger group travellers and honeymooners have shown greater flexibility. “Safety perception, visa ease, flight availability and overall value are the key decision drivers,” he said. Despite the softer demand, spending levels for Thailand during the year-end period remain unchanged, with mid-market travellers typically spending Rs 1.1–1.8 lakh per person and premium travellers spending between Rs 2.5 lakh and Rs 4 lakh, ET reported. Rajiv Mehra, general secretary of the Federation of Associations in Indian Tourism and Hospitality, said Thailand has lost some momentum. “The aggressive demand witnessed earlier is missing now—about 5-10% lower demand,” he said. Cambodia, too, has seen reduced traction, though Mehra described it as more of a spiritual destination than a leisure-oriented one. At the same time, he noted that Vietnam, Sri Lanka and Malaysia are attracting interest with competitive pricing. Travel companies say the situation has led more to recalibration than disruption. Jatinder Paul Singh, chief executive and co-founder of Viacation, said booking behaviour reflects caution rather than withdrawal. “Enquiries have remained largely steady, with some travellers taking extra time to decide,” he said, adding that cancellations have been limited, with most customers preferring date changes or alternate destinations. Rising airfares are also shaping travel choices. Hari Ganapathy, co-founder of Pickyourtrail, said airline capacity constraints have pushed flight costs higher, leading travellers to focus more on affordability. “Flights remain the most variable cost, while on-ground pricing has moved only 5–7%,” he said. This has resulted in higher demand for short-haul destinations offering visa-on-arrival and shorter travel times, such as Malaysia, Singapore and Sri Lanka. Ganapathy also pointed to longer-term changes in travel behaviour. Paid activities per itinerary have increased by nearly 30% over the past two years, with a further 13% rise this year. He said around 65–70% of itineraries now include at least one customised experience, indicating a shift away from nightlife-centric holidays towards more personalised travel. Booking data from EaseMyTrip highlights this transition. A company spokesperson told ET that Vietnam has emerged as a major beneficiary, with Indian traveller traffic estimated to rise by about 125% in 2025. Sri Lanka, meanwhile, has seen at least a fivefold increase compared with last winter. “The focus has shifted from promoting large-scale, nightlife-led New Year celebrations to curating experience-driven and restorative travel options that better align with evolving traveller preferences,” the spokesperson said. “To retain interest and drive conversions, travel companies are also curating end-to-end experiences, such as bundling stays with activities like culinary workshops, local village dinners, heritage walks, farm tours, and personalised wellness programmes.” Within India, destinations such as Goa, Kerala and the Andaman Islands continue to draw festive-season demand, offering alternatives for travellers opting to stay closer to home amid changing overseas plans.