Bangalore: The speculated economic slowdown and the sliding down of rupee have not affected Indians at all as the number of Indians planning at least one international vacation a year, is predicted to go up in 2012, reveals the India Travel Trends Survey 2012 released by TripAdvisor, a travel portal. The report said regardless of the current economic climate, 44 percent respondents expect they will spend more on leisure travel next year; however, 45 percent anticipate spending the same amount as they did in 2011. Compared to last year, there is a 20 percent increase in Indians planning at least one international vacation.

Surprisingly, United Kingdom emerged as the most preferred hot, spot among Indians, The other countries that made it to the top five International destinations list for Indians are Thailand, Singapore, U.S. and China. However, only 8 percent among those surveyed said that they will visit U.K. this summer for the London 2012 Olympics. Owing to the current debt crisis, 53 percent of the respondents opined that 2012 is a good year to visit European countries like Italy, Greece and Spain, as it will be inexpensive to travel there.

The study was conducted amid a cross section of Indians, including those employed in government, public sector, private companies, multinationals and the self-employed. The sample size of the survey was 890, with respondents in the age group of 21-60 years and a male-female ratio of 60:40, said a Trip Advisor spokesperson.

Speaking to Times of India Nikhil Ganju, Country Manager, TripAdvisor India, said, “Forty-six per cent respondents spent more than a lakh rupee on their holidays this year and only 8 percent respondents said they cancelled a leisure trip in 2011 owing to the high inflationary trend.'' The year 2012 looks similarly resilient to inflation as, 65 percent respondents indicated they will not cut back on their leisure travel in 2012 even if the inflationary upward trend continues and 89 percent plan to spend same or more on their travel budget in 2012. "A majority of 40 percent claim the increase in fuel prices will not impact their road trips in 2012," Nikhil added.