Booking.com names ‘Noctourism’ India’s travel word of 2025

BENGALURU: Forget sunrise selfies. India’s travellers are chasing the night. Booking.com has crowned Noctourism, after-dark travel built around stargazing, night safaris and illuminated cityscapes, as India’s Travel Word of the Year for 2025, signalling a decisive shift towards slower, mood-led exploration.

Drawn from an analysis of more than 10 million data points across 3,00,000-plus verified media and social sources, the research maps how Indians reimagined travel this year, not as a checklist but as an emotional pursuit. Cooler temperatures, quieter streets and immersive night-time experiences pushed Noctourism into the spotlight, with 78 per cent of Indian travellers expressing interest in the trend.

The vocabulary of travel widened. Calmcations promised rest and rejuvenation, microcations delivered high-impact short breaks, while frolleagues blurred the line between work trips and friendships. Sustainability also rose up the agenda, with eco-scapes reflecting a growing appetite for low-impact travel. 87 per cent of Indians said they were willing to travel more sustainably in 2025.

Generational preferences diverged. Gen Z leaned into spontaneity and purpose with impulse escapes and eco-conscious choices, while millennials favoured cultural depth and social connection through microcations and frolleagues.

“Travel in 2025 marks a pivot from routine getaways to deeply intentional journeys,” said Santosh Kumar, regional manager, South Asia, Booking.com.

“Noctourism captures this shift, where travel becomes a form of self-discovery, not just escape.”

As daylight fades, India’s travel ambitions are only just waking up.