An “Impulse Planning” Paradox is the Emerging Trend Amongst Indian Travelers

• 61% of OYO bookings in 2016 were from impulse travelers yet predictability, standardisation and affordability remain their key priorities

• Paharganj is the go-to spot for backpackers in Delhi while Arambol is the most affordable locality in Goa despite ranking high on popularity

• Chennai and Goa highest-growing cities for same-day  and overall bookings

OYO’s year-end analysis of hotel-bookings in 2016 confirms that a majority of Indian travellers are increasingly driven by impulse. Impulsively planned trips emerged as the top driver for outstation trips both in business and leisure travel segment. 61% of all the bookings made on OYO platform were made within 24 hours prior to check-in.

The research further highlights that despite the last-minute bookings, travellers’ expectations in terms of service, facilities and experience are pre-determined and non-negotiable. WiFi, Breakfast and Hygienic rooms are the three biggest priorities for guests. With 7000 hotels in over 200 cities, OYO is India’s largest hotel-network and has effected over 5 million check-ins to date.

Commenting on the insights, Kavikrut, Chief Growth Officer, OYO, said, “We are witnessing a travel awakening in India. Along with the surge in bookings from impulse travelers both within leisure and business segments, we see an emerging paradox in that even as travel-planning cycle reduces further, the expectations from on-ground suppliers and agents is of delivering a non-negotiable and predetermined experience. Thus the onus on travel partners such as hoteliers and those offering travel-related services is to ensure consistent, high-quality service delivery. We, at OYO, employ tech-enabled solutions to deliver standardized user experiences.”

OYO’s research identified

●     Chennai, Goa and Gurgaon as the top-contributors to hotel-booking via app.

●     Shillong, Coorg, Darjeeling, Vishakhapatnam, and Munnar as most popular winter-holiday destinations in 2016

Using its cutting-edge data science and pricing technology, OYO also identified the most-expensive and most-affordable localities for budget hotels in top travel destinations.

Paharganj continues to cement its reputation as the go-to spot for backpackers in the nation's capital while Arambol is the most affordable locality in Goa despite ranking high on popularity. 

About OYO

Founded in 2013, OYO is today India’s largest branded network of hotels operating 7,000 hotels and 70,000 rooms in more than 200 Indian cities. These include major metros, regional hubs, top leisure destinations as well as pilgrimage towns. OYO is also present in Malaysia. The company’s mission is to become the world’s most preferred and trusted hotel brand. OYO pioneered the industry-wide standardization of stay experience in India by providing AC rooms equipped with flat-screen TV, complimentary breakfast, free Wi-Fi and 24/7 support across its network. Travellers can book a room in three taps using the OYO app. Besides booking a room, the OYO app can be used to call a cab and locate nearby restaurants. To deliver a seamless, standardized experience to guests, OYO partners with IRCTC, Airtel, Samsung, Lenovo, Biotique, Cleartrip, Itzcash, FreeCharge, Mobikwik and Grofers. 

Committed to delivering innovative offerings to travellers, OYO recently introduced ‘Sunrise Check-in’ – a global-first initiative at this scale. With this, guests can avail assured early check-in instead of the standard noon check-in – a universal pain point impacting travel plans. OYO has also introduced a ‘relationship mode’ in its app enabling guests to discover couple-friendly OYO hotels. 

OYO has received awards including Express IT Start-Up of the Year award (2015) and was recognized by Business Today as among the Coolest Start-Up in India (2016). It was also ranked by LinkedIn as one of the top employee attractors in India. OYO is backed by leading global investors, including the SoftBank Group, Greenoaks Capital, Sequoia Capital and Lightspeed India.

For more information, log on to:https://www.oyorooms.com/