Trevolution Group hits new heights with over 86,780 airline tickets sold to and from India in 2023

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Trevolution Group, the prominent global market leader behind brands such as Asap Tickets Skylux Travel, Dreamport, and Oojo, has announced remarkable achievements in the travel sector. In 2023, the group reported a staggering sale of over 86,780 airline tickets to and from India, marking a significant milestone in airfare sales. This achievement underscores a stable growth of 17% compared to the previous year, totaling a gross booking of 143 million USD. Notably, this constitutes over 12% of the group’s total gross profit for the year, crossing the billion-dollar mark for the first time in its history.

These impressive figures position India as one of the top four leading destinations for international airline passengers, encompassing both leisure and business tourism, as well as the burgeoning visiting-friends-and-relatives (VFR) segment.

Post the bustling holiday season, Trevolution Group has witnessed airfare sales in India surpassing pre-pandemic levels, making 2023 the most profitable year to date. Historically a favorite among American travelers, India’s tourism sector is experiencing a robust recovery, with inbound tourism volumes steadily increasing. However, the most notable surge of over 130% is observed in India’s outbound travel sales, indicating rapid market growth and economic development.

The flourishing international business landscape has positioned India as a key player in the global economy. Consequently, the escalating demand for regular transpacific flights indicates a promising trajectory for 2024 and beyond.

As per the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), India’s air travel market is among the world’s most rapidly expanding, hosting around 152 million domestic passengers in 2023. Despite a reduction in India’s global tourism promotion budget for 2024, the country remains committed to showcasing itself internationally, with a heightened focus on domestic travel—a sector significantly bolstered by services provided by Trevolution Group.

In addition to Delhi and Mumbai, Hyderabad emerged as a pivotal player in India’s regional progress throughout 2023. Evolving into a bustling center for technology and tourism in recent years, Hyderabad stands as one of India’s fastest-growing metropolitan cities. This growth is evident in Trevolution Group’s latest business figures, with Hyderabad accounting for 13% of total flight tickets booked to India and 20% of flights sold from the country’s major airports. Serving as a key driver for India’s economic advancement, Hyderabad is particularly instrumental in fostering the burgeoning Visiting Friends and Relatives (VFR) segment, which plays a significant role in inbound tourism.

The surge in international travel to and from India is evident in the notable uptick in sales across both Economy and Business class flights. This trend is highlighted by a substantial 161% growth in Economy class bookings from India’s largest airports and an even more remarkable 276% increase in Business class bookings compared to the previous year’s figures. Conversely, the demand for inbound Economy tickets has remained stable, consistent with levels observed throughout 2023. However, there has been a significant 137% surge in Business class bookings, indicating a resurgence in business travel and a growing preference for enhanced comfort among international air travelers.

Moreover, a significant portion, accounting for 80.5%, of all tickets purchased to India in 2023 were round-trip tickets. This trend remains consistent with the previous year, indicating a stable pattern despite a 13% increase in the total number of return flights booked to India’s airports. This consistency serves as another indicator of the growing Visiting Friends and Relatives (VFR) travel segment, particularly favored by the more than 4.4 million Indian Americans with strong familial ties to the country, who predominantly book round-trip tickets from the US to India. Similarly, the proportion of one-way tickets has remained nearly unchanged, with a 12% uptick in total inbound ticket sales compared to 2022.

On the outbound front, the share of return tickets rose to 35.5% in 2023 from 28% in 2022. Additionally, there was a significant surge in the total number of round-trip flights sold last year, increasing by 245%, compared to a 141% rise in one-way flights. These figures underscore a rapid market expansion and underscore the resurgence of international leisure travel among Indian customers.

With the airline industry gradually returning to its pre-pandemic capacity and stable aviation fuel prices, the pace of airfare price growth slowed down in 2023, rendering international travel more accessible. Consequently, the average ticket prices exhibited a notable decline, with Business class fares to India dropping by 46%, and economy class fares witnessing an 11% decrease. Similar trends were observed in the airfare costs from India, with Business class flights becoming 42% cheaper and Economy class flights experiencing a 10% reduction. This affordability empowered air passengers to consider additional auxiliary products and in-flight services, with Ticket Protection emerging as the top choice in the previous year.

In terms of booking patterns, approximately one-third, or 32.3%, of all global travelers flying to India in 2023 purchased their tickets over three months before the departure date. This marks a slight increase from the previous year’s figure of 28% among Trevolution Group’s passengers. This shift signifies a recovery to pre-pandemic norms in the travel industry, with individuals feeling more confident about planning their trips well in advance, particularly concerning VFR travel. Consequently, only 13.7% of all inbound flight tickets were purchased within 10 days of the trip in 2023, compared to 12.8% in 2022. Additionally, 8.8% (compared to 8.2%) were purchased within 20 days, and 8.6% (compared to 8.4%) of all flights to India were booked up to a month ahead.

Meanwhile, data from the Group’s ticket sales originating in India reveal a tendency among these passengers to make more last-minute decisions. Consequently, less than one-fifth, specifically 19%, of all travelers secure their tickets over 90 days in advance (compared to 21.5% in 2022). Additionally, 17.4% opt to book within 10 days of departure (compared to the previous 15.7%), 13% (compared to 13.5% in 2022) within 20 days, and 10.7% (compared to 11%) within 30 days prior to their trip. This increasing trend of tickets being purchased within a week to a few weeks ahead underscores the returning confidence in travel and the notable presence of urgent business travel flights.

Furthermore, there has been a decline in short-term bookings from India in both 2023 and 2022. The average duration of stay abroad has now extended to almost three months, totaling 87 days, with Economy class passengers slightly surpassing this at 92 days compared to 82 days for Business class. This suggests that travelers are compensating for the two pandemic-affected years and are now more inclined to spend longer periods abroad, particularly when visiting friends and family or engaging in remote work.

Conversely, for passengers arriving in India through the Group’s services, the average duration is significantly shorter, averaging 31 days or approximately one calendar month for both Business and Economy class in both 2023 and 2022. This aligns with the typical length of stay for leisure travel abroad.

Regarding destinations, a consistent pattern from the previous year is observed, with the majority of visitors to India in 2023 originating from the United States, Canada, United Arab Emirates, and the United Kingdom. Mumbai and Delhi remain the primary arrival airports, with 20.5% and 30% of visitors, respectively. Similarly, the top five departure cities to India continue to be New York, San Francisco, Chicago, Dallas, and Washington. Among inbound passengers, popular airlines include Qatar Airways, Air India, Turkish Airlines, and Emirates.

Meanwhile, in 2023, the majority of air travelers embarking from India showed a preference for popular global destinations such as the United States, Canada, the United Arab Emirates, Thailand, and domestic flights within the country. Consequently, New York, San Francisco, Chicago, Washington, and Dallas remained the top destination cities, with Air India, Emirates, and Turkish Airlines emerging as the top three preferred air carriers. This trend is significantly influenced by the continuously growing proportion of the Indian community based in America, with Visiting Friends and Relatives (VFR) tourism being a major driving factor for frequent flights to and from India and North American cities, creating a reciprocal flow.

“India continues to be a cornerstone of Trevolution Group’s success with our record-breaking sales
signalling a stable 17% growth in the market. Historically robust, this market is poised for further
expansion, given an increasing Indian diaspora in the US and Canada that is the driving force behind
the growth of the VFR sector. Recognizing the untapped potential in this market, we are diligently
developing an all-inclusive travel app to better serve our clientele. Additionally, we are dedicated to
establishing a new corporate travel vertical, called Triplicity, recognizing the need for tailored
solutions in this sector.” Alex Weinstein, the Founder of Dyninno Group commented.

Trevolution Group, managing a portfolio of travel brands including International Travel Network, ASAP Tickets, Skylux Travel, Dreamport, Oojo, and others, has solidified its position as the premier global market leader in the travel industry, with a specialization in the visiting friends and relatives’ (VFR) segment. In 2023 alone, these companies collectively sold over 840,000 unique airline tickets and vacation packages under the Trevolution Group umbrella, positioning the conglomerate as the fourth-largest travel consolidator in the United States.