Hemant Mediratta, Founder & CEO of One Rep Global, decodes India’s evolving travel landscape—from Tier-II/III luxury seekers and Gen Z’s immersive journeys to wellness as a travel driver, AI-powered vernacular planning, and passion-led outbound trends. His insights reveal how authenticity, storytelling, and hyper-personalization are reshaping how Indians discover, choose, and experience the world.
How are travellers from Tier-II and Tier-III cities reshaping India’s luxury and experiential travel market?
They are the new, undeniable engine of luxury travel. This isn’t just a trend; it’s a fundamental market realignment, powered by the convergence of regional airport connectivity, new affluence, and digital-first aspiration. This new cohort is highly discerning; they bypass traditional luxury ‘labels’ for ‘story-worthy’ investments. We see this driving the boom in ‘celebration-led travel’, multi-generational families and wedding parties booking private villas, not just rooms. For us at One Rep Global, we have always believed in the power of these cities and are the only representation company covering over 25 Cities in the country through our unique sales coverage model. The strategic imperative is to engage these audiences with a portfolio that prizes authenticity and immersive experiences.
What major trends are driving Gen Z’s shift from sightseeing holidays to curated, immersive travel experiences?
“Gen Z is completely rewriting the travel playbook. They are swapping passive ‘landmark-hopping’ for deep, immersive travel, and this shift is driven by three core forces:
- A Quest for Authenticity: This generation craves meaningful, memorable experiences. They don’t want to just see the Eiffel Tower; they want to take a cooking class in a Parisian kitchen at Galeries La Fayette. It’s about personal growth, not just a photo.
- Values-Driven Impact: Gen Z travels with a conscience. They are acutely aware of sustainability and social responsibility, actively preferring brands that are eco-friendly and truly support local communities.
- The Instagram Effect: This is the Instagram-driven generation. Their inspiration and ‘social currency’ come from unique, “story-worthy” moments. This fuels a desire for visually compelling experiences—like a culinary tour, a hidden-gem wellness retreat, or an adventure-sport outing—that can be shared as a unique narrative on their social media.
How is wellness evolving from a niche concept to a mainstream motivation for Indian travellers globally?
“Wellness has fundamentally shifted from a simple ‘add-on’ to a primary driver of travel. The Indian traveller’s definition of wellness has expanded far beyond a spa menu; it’s now about holistic rejuvenation-mental, physical, and emotional. This shift is central to our India strategy for clients like Losinj Hotels & Villas in Croatia. We are strategically positioning this destination away from the crowded “spa resort” category.
Instead, our narrative for the Indian market is built on its unique, credible identity as the ‘Island of Vitality.’ We are highlighting its proven ‘Blue Zone’ characteristics-a unique microclimate where the pine-rich air and sea salt create a natural, healing environment. This is what the discerning Indian traveller is actively seeking: not just a treatment, but an authentic place that promotes genuine wellbeing.
In what ways is AI redefining trip planning and influencing travel decisions for India’s new-age, vernacular travellers?
AI is completely redefining the way Indians plan their trips — moving it from a ‘search’ function to a ‘conversation.’ For the country’s new-age, vernacular travellers, this shift is transformative. The biggest change lies in language and accessibility.
We’ve seen major OTAs like MakeMyTrip introduce multilingual AI assistants like Myra, capable of understanding Hindi and Hinglish — unlocking travel planning for millions who are far more comfortable communicating in their native tongue. A user can now simply say, “Mumbai me sbhse uche bar rooftop vala hotel batao” and instantly get relevant options — skipping complex filters and long search trails. But beyond ease of use, AI is also transforming discovery. It’s helping travellers move away from generic, search-driven choices and instead plan journeys based on intent and experience. Someone who might once have typed ‘Goa’ into a search bar can now ask for “a relaxing weekend getaway for a digital detox with great local food,” and receive curated options that match that mood and purpose. This shift is driving travellers toward properties and destinations that align with their personal travel style — whether it’s the serene luxury of Raffles Udaipur, the cultural immersion of Fairmont Jaipur, or the urban sophistication of The Leela Palace Bengaluru or Gurugram and The Taj Mahal Hotel, New Delhi. AI isn’t just suggesting hotels; it’s helping travellers articulate what they want out of a trip — and then matching them to experiences that deliver exactly that blend of authenticity, comfort, and world-class design. The adoption rate proves its value. A recent Kaspersky survey found that while only about 41% of Indians have used AI for travel planning so far, a staggering 98% of those who did were satisfied with the experience. This incredibly high satisfaction rate signals that AI is not a gimmick; it’s efficiently delivering the personalized, accessible, and complex results that the new Indian traveller demands.”
Which emerging destinations or segments do you believe will drive the next big wave of Indian outbound tourism growth?
The next wave of growth isn’t about new countries; it’s about the rise of highly-focused, ‘passion-led’ travel. First, we’re seeing a massive surge in the ‘culture-curious’ traveller.’ Industry insights show that a vast majority of Indian travellers now plan their entire trips around a central cultural offering, moving it from a side-activity to the main event. This is the entire foundation for our work with Morocco. We are strategically positioning it to the Indian market not as a location, but as a deep, sensory immersion for this exact traveller.
Second, the ‘experience is the destination.’ There’s a clear trend of Indian travellers considering the accommodation as the holiday-booking the stay first and letting the destination be secondary. This perfectly aligns with the rise of high-value, niche adventure. It’s the core of our strategy for Courchevel Tourism. We aren’t selling a ‘trip to France’; we’re targeting a specific passion, positioning Courchevel as the pinnacle destination for a world-class skiing experience. This is the future targeting these deep, data-backed passions, not just new pins on a map.
