Study reveals Gen Z honeymooners’ favourite travel destinations, updated average budget for the trips
Gen Z couples are redefining the meaning of honeymoon travel – moving away from cookie-cutter itineraries and luxury-for-the-sake-of-luxury trips to embrace authenticity, culture, and connection. For this new generation of travellers, honeymoons are less about ticking destinations off a list and more about creating stories that feel personal and memorable. According to a recent Pickyourtrail survey, Gen Z is driving this shift in India’s travel landscape, showing a strong preference for curated, experience-led journeys over conventional, pre-planned vacations.
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Gen Z is ditching the itinerary planned holidays
Indian travel trends show a clear shift in how Gen Z prefers to plan their holidays – including their honeymoons. More and more couples are now investing on personal and intentional holidays, as opposed to the standard trip itinerary. According to trends analysed by Pickyourtrail, “Gen Z is driving this change, with 62% showing a preference for curated, story-led travel, while 38% of millennials continue to favour comfort and familiarity.”
Gen Z’s favourite destinations
According to the Pickyourtrail survey, Vietnam and Dubai have emerged as the newest hotspots for honeymooners, while Maldives, Bali, Thailand and Europe continue to remain perennial favourites. Travellers’ growing desire for deeper cultural experiences has propelled Vietnam ahead of Europe as a preferred destination among Tier-2 and Tier-3 travellers.
The average honeymoon budget today ranges between ₹1-2 lakh, while couples seeking curated, personalised experiences typically spend ₹3-4 lakh. Over the years, there has been a steady 5% year-on-year rise in overall honeymoon spending.
Chennai, Bangalore, Delhi, Mumbai, and Hyderabad are leading the love-trail, accounting for the largest share of bookings.
Choosing authenticity and personalised adventures
The Co-founder of Pickyourtrail, Hari Ganapathy shared with HT Lifestyle, “Couples today aren’t just looking for a beautiful destination anymore – they want their honeymoon to feel like them. It’s no longer about ticking off lists, but about creating moments that actually mean something to them. We’ve seen this shift clearly – more than 50% of our honeymoon travellers now ask for curated experiences.”
Curated honeymoon ideas
Hari notes that even the way Indians perceive and experience honeymoons is undergoing a transformation. Couples today are embracing authenticity, with increasing interest in creating personalised, meaningful experiences that leave lasting memories. The Pickmytrail co-founder explains, “The 5-night format still remains popular, but what fills those days has changed – from making their own silver rings and learning local recipes to trying wellness traditions or exploring local culture in ways that stay with them. It’s really about connection over convention – and that’s what’s redefining honeymoons today.”
Over the past year, Indian honeymooners have shown a marked shift towards cultural and experiential travel, choosing authenticity over opulence. Gen Z couples are leading this change, favouring meaningful experiences such as local immersions, traditional cooking classes, ring-making workshops, and wellness retreats instead of all-inclusive resort holidays. Meanwhile, millennial couples continue to prefer comfort and familiarity, highlighting a clear generational contrast in travel preferences.
Most couples prefer five-night getaways that strike a balance between comfort and value, with private dining experiences, couple spa sessions, and creative workshops emerging as popular highlights.
Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only.
