DIY trip planning, a surge from tier-2 cities, and social media discovery are reshaping when and where Indians go abroad, says marketing head Santosh Hegde.
India’s international travel is widening beyond big cities in 2025, driven by younger DIY planners, steady demand from metros, and a wave of first-time travellers from tier-2 markets. In a conversation with afaqs!, Atlys head of marketing Santosh Hegde said applications from smaller cities have grown 5x, millennials make up about half of users, and Gen Z accounts for 38%, changing the visa-to-travel funnel.
Why and how the shift is happening
Who is travelling: “Millennials still make up our largest chunk around half of our customers but Gen Z is right behind them at 38%. They’re shaping how and where Indians travel,” Hegde said.
Where they are coming from: Bengaluru, Delhi, and Mumbai remain the top hubs, while applications from tier-2 cities like Mohali, Surat, and Lucknow are up 5x. “We’re seeing a wave of first-time international travellers from tier 2 markets,” he noted.
How they plan: Atlys defines its core audience as DIY voyagers who book end to end on their own. “That’s the traveller we’re after, someone who wants the entire experience to be theirs, start to finish,” Hegde said.
New boarding trends and destinations
South Africa saw a 22x spike in interest during a recent Atlys sale, helped by safari appeal and novelty.
Georgia is quietly trending, while Vietnam and Indonesia keep drawing weekend-length trips. Australia and the UAE remain steady choices.
“Social media has played a huge role in this shift. People are discovering places they wouldn’t have even thought of ten years ago,” Hegde said.
Seasonality is flattening
The classic April–June and Nov–Dec peaks are less dominant. Shoulder-season trips spread demand across the year as travellers trade ideal weather for better prices and fewer crowds.
“The weather may not be perfect, but it’s far from bad, and people see that as a fair trade-off,” Hegde said. Slow, experience-first travel is a growing theme.
Inside Atlys’ marketing playbook
Awareness: About 50% of spend, centred on the company’s on-time visa guarantee, with YouTube taking 35–40% of the awareness budget plus Meta and 10–15% on print.
Assurance: Around 20% on travel influencers to build trust for a process that involves handing over passports.
Authority: The remaining 30% funds an in-house team making advice-led content and destination tips across Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn.
Breaking the visa barrier
With its “One Way Out” sale, Atlys offered Rs 1 visas to destinations like the UK, UAE, and Australia. Hegde said the point was to remove monetary and psychological barriers for Gen Z and millennials.
The campaign drove a 6x spike in new users and targeted destinations that Atlys says account for 92% of India’s international travel.
Atlys vs traditional visa options
Atlys positions visas as the first step of the journey and aims to fix pain points left by traditional facilitators and agents.
The pitch: price transparency, real-time tracking, and clear status updates. Travel insurance has a strong attach rate, but the priority remains simplifying the visa workflow.
Impact on travellers and the market
- Consumers: Easier DIY planning and more choice for first-time applicants outside metros.
- Destinations: Discoverability via social media is lifting non-traditional spots like South Africa and Georgia.
- Industry: More content-led and influencer-led marketing, and higher competition for traditional visa intermediaries.
Before the pandemic, outbound travel skewed toward metro families and agent-led planning. Digital documentation, flexible work and better flight connectivity have since encouraged independent planning. Visa friction remains a hurdle, which is why platforms competing on transparency and speed are gaining attention.
Key data points from Atlys
| Metric | Figure | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Share of customers Millennials | ~50% | Atlys data |
| Share of customers Gen Z | 38% | Atlys data |
| Tier-2 visa applications | 5x increase | Mohali, Surat, Lucknow stand out |
| South Africa interest | 22x spike | During recent sale |
| “One Way Out” campaign new users | 6x increase | Atlys data |
| Destinations covered by Rs 1 sale | ~92% of India’s travel | Share of overall outbound, per Atlys |
| Awareness budget split | ~50% | YouTube 35–40% of awareness; print 10–15% |
| Assurance budget | ~20% | Influencer-led trust building |
| Authority budget | ~30% | In-house advice-led content |
A DIY path to smoother visas
Check eligibility and timelines
- Verify visa type, processing times, and appointment availability before booking flights.
- Get documents in order
- Passport validity, photos, bank statements, IT returns, employment letter, travel plan, insurance.
- Use refundable or hold bookings
- Reserve flights and hotels with free cancellation until your visa decision.
- Apply early and track status
- Submit well ahead of peak periods and use real-time tracking to avoid missed updates.
- Prepare for biometrics or interviews
- Carry originals, photocopies, and a simple cover letter that matches your form.
- Plan finances and insurance
- Maintain the required balance and buy travel insurance that meets destination norms.
- Post-approval checks
- Verify details on the visa, reconfirm bookings, and keep digital copies handy.
India’s outbound story is no longer metro-bound. A younger, DIY cohort and tier-2 first-timers are expanding the market, while social discovery broadens the map and shoulder-season travel evens out demand. Expect more content-driven marketing and occasional price shocks like Rs 1 campaigns. The test ahead is consistency beyond promotions and how quickly services can keep up with the next wave of first-time travellers.
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