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AI becomes key tool for Indian travellers, Agoda report finds
68 per cent plan to use AI for trips as 33 per cent already rely on it.
MUMBAI: Holiday planning is getting a software upgrade less “Where should we go?” and more “What does the algorithm say?” Indian travellers are increasingly turning to artificial intelligence to map their journeys, with new data from Agoda’s 2026 Travel Outlook Report suggesting that AI is fast becoming central to how trips are imagined, planned and booked.
While 33 per cent of respondents said they already use AI tools for travel planning, a far larger 68 per cent indicated they are likely to rely on it for their next trip pointing to a sharp acceleration in adoption in a market already comfortable with digital-first travel.
What travellers want from AI, however, goes well beyond basic search. The report shows 38 per cent are looking for recommendations on local attractions and activities, while 37 per cent expect personalised itineraries. Destination discovery remains a key use case at 29 per cent, with dining suggestions (23 per cent) and budget management (22 per cent) also emerging as practical applications.
The shift reflects a broader change in expectations AI is no longer a novelty but a planning companion expected to work across every stage of the journey, from inspiration to execution.
Trust levels appear to be keeping pace. Nearly 88 per cent of respondents said they either trust or feel neutral about AI-generated recommendations, including 53 per cent who expressed clear confidence. This builds on earlier trends, with Agoda’s 2025 survey showing nine in ten Indian travellers already using apps to book travel suggesting AI adoption is more evolution than disruption.
The company has been testing this appetite through initiatives such as its 2025 AI-powered Vacation Planner campaign, which generated customised itineraries and visuals based on user inputs, delivered with a layer of celebrity-led engagement.
For platforms like Agoda, which aggregates more than 6 million properties, over 130,000 flight routes and 300,000 travel activities, AI offers a way to navigate scale without overwhelming users turning abundance into relevance.
As AI continues to embed itself into everyday decision-making, India is emerging as a market where travel planning is not just going digital, but decisively intelligent.
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Eumu unveils Mother’s Day edit with handbags and luggage range
Curated lineup spans Rs 3,399 to Rs 8,999 across handbags, work bags, luggage.
MUMBAI: Call it a carry-on tribute, this Mother’s Day, the gift might just come with compartments, zips, and a whole lot of thought. Eumu has rolled out a curated gifting edit ahead of Mother’s Day, bringing together a mix of handbags and luggage designed to blend everyday utility with design-led appeal. The collection spans price points from Rs 3,399 to Rs 8,999, targeting modern consumers seeking practical yet stylish gifting options.
The lineup covers a broad spectrum of use cases from compact daily carry to work-friendly laptop bags and travel-ready luggage reflecting how consumer preferences are shifting towards versatility and function-led purchases.
At the entry end, the Rose Small Tote Handbag, priced at Rs 3,399, offers a structured, compact design in vegan leather, while the Espresso Camouflage Satchel (Rs 4,499) leans into statement styling with added storage. The Chestnut Saddle Bag and Damsel 2 Saddle Bag, priced at Rs 4,499 and Rs 4,899 respectively, focus on day-to-evening versatility, balancing minimal aesthetics with functional compartments.
Work-focused designs form a key part of the edit. The Flapper Laptop Handbag (Rs 5,799) and Orchid Single Sling Laptop Tote (Rs 4,399) cater to professionals, integrating dedicated tech storage with lightweight construction, an increasingly relevant category as hybrid work continues to shape buying behaviour.
Rounding off the handbag segment is the Clubtail Tote cum Bucket Bag (Rs 5,339), a hybrid silhouette combining capacity with a more relaxed design language.
Beyond handbags, Eumu is also pushing into travel essentials. The Classic Cabin Luggage (Rs 5,999), built with German polycarbonate, is positioned for short trips with spinner wheels and organised interiors, while the Trunk Check-In Plus (Rs 8,999) targets longer journeys with larger storage capacity and TSA-approved locks.
The broader strategy reflects a familiar playbook in lifestyle retail anchoring gifting around utility rather than occasion alone. By focusing on products that transition across work, travel and daily routines, Eumu appears to be tapping into a consumer mindset where practicality increasingly drives purchase decisions, even for celebratory moments.
In a market crowded with sentiment-led campaigns, this one leans on something simpler, if it carries well, it might just gift well too.
