Key Takeaways
- India is the world's fastest-growing outbound tourism market, projected to reach over 28 million international travelers in 2025 and grow 15-18% annually until 2030. Turkey is a rapidly rising destination.
- MakeMyTrip (MMT) is the undisputed leader in India's online travel market, holding a 48% share with 68 million monthly active users, making it essential for market entry.
- Successful engagement requires a deep understanding of Indian travelers: 38% are vegetarian, 62% travel with family, and they are highly price-sensitive, preferring INR pricing and comprehensive meal plans (MAP/AP).
- Optimize your MakeMyTrip presence by offering diverse meal plans, enabling EMI payment options (boosting conversions by 28%), and highlighting vegetarian food, family room capacities, and airport transfers in your content.
- Strategically align your marketing campaigns with India's key holiday seasons, particularly May-June (summer) and October-November (Diwali/Dussehra), for maximum impact.
India Market: The World's Fastest-Growing Tourism Source
As of 2026, India is the world's most populous country and the fastest-growing outbound tourism market. In 2025, 28 million Indian travelers journeyed internationally — an 85% increase compared to 2019. More importantly, this growth momentum is expected to continue at an annual rate of 15-18% until 2030.
Turkey is a rapidly rising destination among Indian travelers. In 2025, 380,000 Indian tourists visited Turkey, and this figure is projected to exceed 500,000 in 2026. The most effective way to unlock this enormous market is by establishing a strategic presence through MakeMyTrip (MMT), India's leading OTA.
Related reading: Global Traveler Profiles: Understand Every Market
Get to Know the MakeMyTrip Platform
MakeMyTrip is India's largest online travel company. The group includes the brands MakeMyTrip, Goibibo, and redBus. The platform's figures are impressive:
- Monthly active users: 68 million
- Annual gross booking value: 7.2 billion USD (2025)
- Hotel partners: 190,000+ worldwide
- Mobile app downloads: 150 million+
- Market share (India online hotel): 48%
These figures demonstrate that MakeMyTrip is an unrivaled channel for accessing the Indian market. While Booking.com and Expedia are active in India, local traveler preference overwhelmingly favors MakeMyTrip.
Indian Traveler Profile: Detailed Analysis
A deep understanding of the Indian traveler profile is crucial for a successful entry into the Indian market:
Segment-Based Breakdown
Premium Segment (18%):
- Annual income: 50,000+ USD
- Hotel preference: 5-star, luxury resorts
- Average spending: 350-500 USD per day
- Decision criteria: Brand, experience, Instagrammability
- Booking process: 2-3 months in advance, detailed research
Upper-Mid Segment (34%):
- Annual income: 20,000-50,000 USD
- Hotel preference: 4-star, boutique hotels
- Average spending: 150-300 USD per day
- Decision criteria: Value-for-money, review scores
- Booking process: 1-2 months in advance
Budget Segment (48%):
- Annual income: 8,000-20,000 USD
- Hotel preference: 3-star, economic options
- Average spending: 60-150 USD per day
- Decision criteria: Price, location, complimentary breakfast
- Booking process: 2-4 weeks in advance
Common Characteristics
Some important characteristics common across all segments:
- Vegetarian food: 38% of Indian travelers are vegetarian, 15% are vegan. Offering a vegetarian menu in the hotel restaurant is a critical requirement.
- Family-oriented travel: 62% of Indian travelers travel with family (average 4-6 people).
- Tea culture: In-room tea making facilities (preferably Indian tea) are a big plus.
- Price negotiation: Bargaining is normal in Indian culture; they expect special price offers.
MakeMyTrip Integration and Optimization
Platform Registration Process
Registering a hotel on MakeMyTrip follows a different process than Expedia Group integration:
- MMT Extranet registration: Apply via makemytrip.com/partners
- Verification process: 5-10 business days (document check, photo verification)
- Channel manager connection: MMT integrates with many channel managers
- Content upload: Photos, descriptions, property information
- Rate and inventory: Management via a YCS-like control panel
Pricing Strategy
The Indian market is extremely price-sensitive. Correct pricing is the key to success:
INR Denominated Pricing: Indian travelers want to see prices in Indian Rupees (INR). EUR or USD pricing creates a psychological barrier.
Meal Plan Variety: Accommodation sales in India are largely done in conjunction with meal plans:
- EP (European Plan - room only): Lowest conversion
- CP (Continental Plan - breakfast included): Medium conversion
- MAP (Modified American Plan - breakfast + dinner): Highest conversion (34% more)
- AP (American Plan - full board): Preferred in the family segment
EMI (Installment Payment): MakeMyTrip offers an EMI (Equated Monthly Installment) option. This allows the average Indian traveler to pay for high-priced accommodations in installments. Hotels with the EMI option have a 28% higher conversion rate.
To manage these pricing approaches from a central system, the OtelCiro sales ecosystem is an ideal solution.
Related reading: Hotel Segment-Based Pricing Guide
Content Optimization: Adapting for the Indian Market
Photo Priorities
Indian travelers' photo viewing behavior is different. The most clicked photo categories are:
- Food and restaurant (89% viewing rate — much higher than other markets)
- Family rooms and suites (78%)
- Pool and outdoor areas (72%)
- Bathroom and toilet (68%)
- Lobby and common areas (61%)
Be sure to highlight vegetarian food options in your restaurant photos. Indian travelers actively search for this detail.
Description Tips
- Use the phrase "Indian food available" — this single sentence can increase conversions by 15%
- Emphasize tea and coffee facilities
- Specify family room capacity (4+ people)
- Highlight airport transfer options (Indian travelers are sensitive about transfers)
- Add visa information (emphasize Turkey's easy e-visa process)
Campaign Calendar: Indian Seasons
Plan your campaigns for the Indian market according to this calendar:
January-February: End of winter holidays — early summer campaign March-April: Holi and spring holidays — colorful Turkey campaign May-June: Summer holidays (school break) — family packages, highest demand period August: Independence Day (August 15) long weekend — short getaway October-November: Diwali and Dussehra — "Post-Festival Getaway" campaign, year's biggest travel period December: New Year's — campaigns targeting the premium segment
Performance Metrics
Measure the success of your MakeMyTrip channel with these metrics:
- India market occupancy contribution: MMT's contribution to your total occupancy rate
- Segment distribution: How many bookings come from which Indian traveler segment?
- Average length of stay: Target: 4+ nights
- Meal plan distribution: Ratio of MAP and AP sales (target: 50%+)
- Review score: Your score on MakeMyTrip (aim for 8.0+)
- Cost per channel: Ratio of commission + promotion cost to total revenue
Conclusion: Enter the Indian Market Now
India is the biggest tourism growth story of the next decade. Its 1.4 billion population, rising middle class, and increasing appetite for travel open a unique opportunity window for Turkish hotels. MakeMyTrip is the most efficient way to access this market. Understand the Indian traveler profile, adapt your content and services to this market, and diligently implement your seasonal campaign calendar. Hotels that act early will capture the largest share of this enormous market.