~ An upsurge in women travellers opting for adventure from India ~

(TRAVPR.COM) INDIA - April 10th, 2019 - Monday, 4th March 2019: Pushing the limits by ascending further and diving deeper is now making Indian women travellers feel liberated. To understand women's participation in adventure travel, the world’s oldest and the leading travel company, Cox & Kings, studied its booking and enquiry trends of about 2000 women travellers in India. Cox & Kings recorded about 32% year-on-year increase in women travellers opting for adventure across soft, medium and extreme activities. The growth is a cumulative reflection of both its domestic as well as international tours.

Driving the growth, the women force largely comprises Millennials or Gen Y women. About 70% of them come from metro cities while the rest from the tier-2. Most women from this age group are financially independent. Lawyers, doctors, corporate managers, designers, writers and heads of different organisations make up the professional profile of the Indian adventure women traveller. Several women from the creative fields such as photography, architecture and design have also been choosing adventure.

It is delightful to note a 9% increase in women solo travellers as compared to 2017. A mix of social media influence and word-of-mouth is fuelling the growth in solo travel. Safety remains a crucial aspect though, that women research about before stepping out.

Diving and trekking have emerged to be the two most likened adventure activities by Indian women adventure travellers. While Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Ladakh and Nepal top the trekking bucket-list for the women, Andaman Islands, Maldives, Thailand, Malaysia, Red Sea - Egypt, Bali, Gili Islands, Great Barrier Reef and Mauritius comprise the list of diving destinations. Besides, walking, cycling, biking, rafting and sailing are other activities that Indian women travellers opt for.

Commenting on the study, Karan Anand, head, relationships, Cox & Kings said, "While women are travelling with their friends and other women's groups, there is also a trend of mothers travelling with their daughters. Adventure has become an enjoyable activity for families to bond. Today women are up for extreme adventure trips and find it liberating as it merges nature, adrenaline and exploration. It also empowers women in several ways and helps curb any inhibitions.”

Female travellers on social media are also to be credited for the growth in interests as their women-point-of-view content has been considerably helping women make travel decisions. 

There has also been a marginal increase in women's participation in extreme adventures including Kilimanjaro expedition, Stok Kangri expedition and Ice-climbing in Iceland and Manali. 

Destinations that are most sought-after for multi-adventure for Indian women are Hampi, Pondicherry, Ladakh, Spiti, Rishikesh, Gokarna, Meghalaya, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand in India and Nepal, Bhutan, Kenya, Tanzania, Thailand, Maldives, Iceland, Australia, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Bali internationally.

ABOUT COX AND KINGS LTD.: (BSE: 533144 | NSE: COX&KINGS)

Cox & Kings Ltd. (‘C&K') is the oldest travel company in the world and also one of the leading leisure travel groups with operations across continents. It is one of the most experienced travel company in the world, having been in operation since 1758. Headquartered in India, C&K has over the last three decades transformed itself into a diversified, multinational travel conglomerate with a focus on the new-age global consumer.

C&K operates in two key verticals; Leisure and Hybrid Hotels.

Leisure-India is best known by the ubiquitous Cox & Kings brand in India, where we are an integrated travel enterprise, offering the best and widest range of travel options to individuals, groups and businesses in the fastest growing major economy in the world. www.coxandkings.com

Leisure-International operates in multiple countries, mainly under the Cox & Kings brand, with a greater focus on premium-end travel. www.coxandkings.co.uk and www.coxandkingsusa.com

Meininger currently operates more than 12,662 beds across 24 hotels in 14 European cities. The unique hybrid concept of Meininger combines the service and comfort of a hotel with the uncomplicated nature of a hostel; top locations, high-quality amenities, flexible room structure and reasonable prices. www.meininger-hotels.com

Cox & Kings is one of the founding members of the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) and also a member of premier industry associations across the world. Over the years the company has won many awards which stand testimony to its excellence in service.

Cox & Kings has been the recipient of various accolades both in India and internationally. It has been winning the prestigious World Travel Award in different categories since 2013.  The title of Asia's Leading Luxury Tour Operator was retained for the 4th time in 2018. It won the title of India's Leading Tour Operator in the year 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and India's Leading Travel Agency for the 6th Consecutive time. In 2018, Cox & Kings bagged the title of ‘Best Outbound Tour Operator’ at the Zee Business Travel Awards. The India Travel Awards – West and its North edition announced Cox & Kings as a winner in the categories – Best Experiential Tour Operator and Best MICE Operator Domestic in 2018. It also emerged victorious in the Asia Pacific region at the prestigious PATA Gold Awards. Cox & Kings’ commitment to sustainability was celebrated at the Global Responsible Business Leadership Awards in Malaysia where it bagged the title of ‘Sustainable Travel and Tour Operator of 2018’.

For further media details, contact:
Thomas C. Thottathil
Cox & Kings Ltd.
Head - Corporate Communications
T: +91-22-22709100
E: thomasct@coxandking

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