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Skyscanner, a leading global travel platform, has sucessfully completed its groundbreaking ‘Everywhere Agency‘ initiative in India, heralding a new era of virtual travel consultancy. In an exclusive interview with ETTravelWorld, Mohit Joshi, Skyscanner’s Travel Trends & Destination Expert, shared insights on the genesis of this innovative campaign, its success and its potential impact on the travel industry, particularly in India.
The ‘Everywhere Agency’ campaign, described as the world’s first virtual pop-up travel consultancy, was designed to connect travellers with record-breaking adventurers who have explored every country worldwide. Inspired by Skyscanner’s ‘Everywhere Search’ tool, this initiative aims to assist travellers in discovering new destinations, especially when they are unsure of their travel preferences.
‘Everywhere’ is the most searched-for destination by Indian travellers on Skyscanner, with 98 per cent of Indian travellers keen to try somewhere new in 2024.
Joshi, elaborating on the campaign, explained, “Everywhere Agency is manned by world record travellers who share their experiences, tips, and insights, guiding travellers to unearth hidden gems and enriching travel experiences.” The initiative is divided into two components: Everywhere Appointments and Everywhere Guide. Everywhere Appointments offer travellers 10-minute one-on-one sessions with renowned travellers, enabling them to seek recommendations and guidance for their journeys.
Highlighting the significance of this campaign for Indian travellers, Joshi revealed, “We appointed individuals like Anunay Sood, a renowned traveller and social media travel influencer from India, to cater to the specific needs of our Indian audience.” These appointments were available free of cost, allowing travellers to access valuable insights and recommendations. Other Everywhere Agents include individuals like Gunnar Garfors, the first to visit every country in the world twice; Renee Burns, a world record holder for travelling to the most countries in a year in a wheelchair.
Addressing the campaign’s global reach, Joshi clarified, “While travellers from India can interact with local agents, individuals from other countries can access appointments with agents from their respective regions.” The campaign was launched in 14 countries, including India, offering travellers a unique opportunity to connect with seasoned travellers.
This mature market has seen further meteoric growth, with Indians going on pilgrimages in unprecedented numbers to seek spiritual and religious solace. Religious destinations like Varanasi, Amritsar, Haridwar and Tirupati Devasthanam temple have seen record visitations in 2023. This trend is only estimated to grow in the coming years with mega events like the inauguration of the holy shrine at Ayodhya in January 2024.
Joshi further emphasised the campaign’s alignment with evolving travel trends, citing Skyscanner’s Travel Trends Report 2024, which revealed a surge in Indian travellers’ interest in cultural exploration and unique experiences. “We foresee a significant shift in travel preferences, with travellers seeking diverse cultural experiences and prioritising unique destinations,” Joshi stated.
Commenting on the campaign’s longevity, Joshi affirmed, “Everywhere Agency appointments were available for January, with plans to extend the initiative based on traveller feedback.” He encouraged travellers to leverage this opportunity to interact with seasoned adventurers and gain valuable insights for their upcoming journeys.
According to data from Skyscanner, Indians’ passion for global exploration has reached unprecedented heights in 2024, with mounting early interest in travel indicated in its data. In the last week of 2023, the search volume for overseas travel by Indian travellers increased by 39 per cent compared to the same period last year. Looking ahead into 2024, a remarkable 98 per cent of Indian travellers are keen to try somewhere new while 42 per cent share that one of their biggest struggles when booking travel is deciding where to go.
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