Indians are embracing travel mania like never before, and their choice of transport in foreign lands indicates a growing desire for comfort and exploration. Recently Uber, the famous ride-hailing giant, released information showcasing an extraordinary surge in foreign trips taken by India-registered users in 2023.
Last year according to Uber’s insights, Indians journeyed to nearly 1,000 cities spanning 68 countries, indicating a significant increase in their travel footprint. While the list of explored destinations extended significantly, the top three most frequented countries remained consistent, that is the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada.
The data also shows that summer holidays remain a peak travel period, Most likely because of the school and college breaks offering families extended time for vacations. In 2023 May was the busiest month for international travel, a shift from June in the previous year. Over the past few years, Indians have been breaking all travel records, and it’s heartwarming to see how Uber continues to be their trusted last-mile partner in these travels, says Prabhjeet Singh, President of Uber India and South Asia. He also added that the familiarity when arriving at an airport in a new city, or the protection when traveling late at night, is a sturdy mark of trust for us to see Indians book an Uber for their foreign travels.
Remarkably, the data revealed that Indians tend to embark on longer journeys while overseas, with average Uber trip distances being 25% higher compared to their rides within India. Furthermore, Indian travelers displayed a willingness to embrace diverse ride options,trying out 21 different Uber products across many countries. This comprised eco-conscious options like Comfort Electric (premium EVs) and Multimodal Transit (collaborating public transport like trains), further to the highly popular UberX.
Adding a touch of luxury to their foreign adventures, some Indians even found themselves chauffeured in high-end vehicles, including Porsche Cayenne, Jaguar F-PACEs, and even a Ford F-150 Lightning electric pickup truck. The data highlights a clear trend that Indians are not just traveling more, they are venturing further, staying longer, and seeking comfort and convenience along the way.
