Social media and artificial intelligence are increasingly influencing how Indians discover destinations and plan holidays, according to a survey by intercity travel company zingbus.
The survey of 2,371 respondents aged 18-40 found that 72% primarily discover new and offbeat destinations through Instagram Reels and other short-form videos. The findings come ahead of World Tourism Day on September 27, whose 2026 theme is “Digital Agenda and Artificial Intelligence to Redesign Tourism”.
AI enters travel planning
The survey found that 61% of respondents had used AI to plan at least one trip in the past year, indicating growing adoption of AI in travel planning.
Among AI platforms, 44% of respondents said they primarily use ChatGPT for travel planning, while 23% use Google AI Overviews.
Personalised itinerary creation emerged as a key use case, with 45% of respondents saying AI is most useful for creating customised, day-by-day itineraries.
Digital discovery is also translating into active travel research. Around 31% of respondents said they searched for a destination after discovering their most recent trip idea online.
Travellers seek complete experiences
The survey indicates that travellers are increasingly looking beyond destination discovery and individual bookings towards curated travel experiences that combine transport, accommodation and local activities.
Around 48% of respondents said they would prefer an end-to-end curated group or offbeat package when transportation, accommodation and experiences are verified and hassle-free.
Trust remains important at the booking stage, with 52% of respondents identifying positive traveller reviews as critical before making a final booking.
zingbus expands Chyll
The findings come as zingbus expands Chyll by zingbus, its travel experiences vertical, which combines transportation, accommodation and local experiences.
Chyll offers journeys built around activities such as kayaking, heritage neighbourhoods, regional cuisine, riverside cooking, painting and visits to destinations outside conventional tourist circuits.
The company is expanding its offering to destinations including Sethan, Sissu, Jibhi, Tirthan Valley, Kalpa and Munsiyari, with packages combining accommodation, local experiences and transportation.
The offering includes verified stays, local partners, planned transport and travel assistance.
zingbus Co-founder & CEO Prashant Kumar said travellers can now discover destinations and create itineraries using digital tools, but reliability of transport, accommodation, experiences and pricing remains important.
“We see a clear opportunity to make that journey much simpler by bringing trusted mobility and curated travel experiences together,” he said.
From digital inspiration to travel
The survey suggests that the travel journey is increasingly moving from social-media discovery and AI-assisted planning towards curated, verified experiences.
zingbus said it aims to bridge this gap by combining technology, mobility and local experiences, while making emerging destinations more accessible and creating opportunities for local tourism ecosystems.
The survey was conducted online through Google Forms between August 24 and September 20, 2026, covering respondents across India in the 18-40 age group.
Founded in 2019, zingbus operates intercity bus and SUV services through its app and website and offers products including valuebus, zingbus Plus and zingbus Maxx. The company also operates curated trips through Chyll and is developing electric intercity bus operations.