New Delhi: Switzerland, Italy and France continued to dominate Indian outbound travel to Europe in 2025, though not because travellers were covering more destinations or iconic landmarks. Instead, new data shows a change in how these destinations were experienced.
According to the Thrillophilia Multi-Day Travel Index 2025, Switzerland, Italy and France together accounted for over 52% of India’s multi-day travel demand to Europe during the year. However, the structure of trips within these destinations shifted sharply toward fewer cities, longer stays and experience-led itineraries, signalling a clear move away from traditional, fast-paced sightseeing formats.
Key Shifts in Indian Travel to Europe (2025)
- Switzerland, Italy and France together accounted for over 52% of India’s multi-day Europe travel
- Trips shifted toward fewer cities and longer regional stays
- Family and premium travel reshaped itinerary design
- Rail-led and region-focused travel formats gained share
- Regional travel gained traction in France, with non-Paris itineraries growing 29%
Switzerland: Family and Premium Travel Reshape Demand
Switzerland continued to be the top European destination for Indian travellers in 2025, accompanied by a noticeable change in the composition of visitors. Family travel saw a strong surge, growing 38% year-on-year, while honeymoon trips also rose, though more modestly, by 21%.
Rather than fast-paced itineraries covering Lucerne, Interlaken, Zermatt, St. Moritz and Zurich, families increasingly opted for single-base or two-base itineraries. Travellers spent longer durations in alpine regions and relied on scenic rail journeys for day excursions. Rail-based Switzerland itineraries grew by 44%, while overnight city-to-city transfers declined by 26%.
Luxury and premium leisure travel to Switzerland also rose by 31%, driven by demand for lake-facing stays, train journeys and more relaxed itineraries. The data shows that Switzerland remains a top choice owing to its reliable infrastructure, strong rail network, and appeal for slower, family-friendly trips.
Italy: Fewer Cities, Longer Stays
Italy ranked as the second most-travelled European destination among the 30,000+ travellers who booked Europe multi day tours on Thrillophilia. However, the way the travellers moved within the country shifted noticeably in 2025, moving away from fast-paced, checklist-style itineraries towards deeper, region-led exploration.
Two-city Italy itineraries grew by 33%, while trips covering four or more Italian cities declined by 19%. Countryside and non-metro stays increased by 36%, indicating a move away from rushed city-hop itineraries. Traditionally, such trips would pack Rome, Florence, and Venice into a tight schedule, leaving little time to explore local culture, cuisine, or other regions. Now, travellers are taking a slower approach, spending more time in each destination and enjoying experiences that go beyond the main tourist hubs.
Average stay per Italian city increased by 31%, as travellers prioritised regional exploration, local food experiences and day trips over frequent inter-city movement. Experiences such as slow food trails, countryside stays, and immersion in smaller towns gained prominence, particularly in Tuscany and parts of Southern Italy.
Here, travellers chose to spend longer durations, providing them more time to explore beyond headline attractions. This shift of preference was particularly visible among couples, premium leisure travellers and repeat European visitors who had already covered Italy’s major highlights before.
France: Travel Moves Beyond Paris
France remained among the top three European destinations for Indian travellers, but its internal demand profile diversified in 2025. While Paris continued to anchor first-time travel, non-Paris France itineraries grew by 29% year-on-year.
Multi-day trips focused only on Paris declined by 14%, while Paris-plus-countryside formats grew by 27%. Travellers increasingly chose Provence, wine regions, and countryside stays as part of their trips. Many also preferred single-base itineraries, taking day excursions rather than moving between multiple cities.
The change reflects a rising preference for less crowded density and better regional immersion. Travellers, particularly families and honeymooners, are also seeking more flexible schedules and pacing.
Why These Destinations Continue to Lead
What links Switzerland, Italy and France is not their mere popularity, but also adaptability. Each destination supports:
- Slower itineraries without reducing experience depth
- Strong rail connectivity and predictable routing
- Regional exploration beyond iconic landmarks
- Suitability for families, couples and premium travellers
As demand for high-speed, multi-country Europe tours declined, these destinations retained leadership by aligning with how Indian travellers now prefer to travel.
What Travel Execution Data Reveals
Unlike intent-based indicators such as search trends or social media engagement, the index captures changes visible in executed itineraries, including routing patterns, stay durations and transfer choices.
The analysis is based on data of multi-day trips executed by Thrillophilia, which operates Europe itineraries across Switzerland, Italy, France and other key destinations. The data clearly shows that trips with fewer cities and longer stays saw lower disruption rates and higher completion consistency.
What This Shift Signals for Indian Outbound Travel
The 2025 data indicates that Europe’s long-standing favourites are not losing relevance – they are being rediscovered through different travel formats.
As highlighted in the Thrillophilia Multi-Day Travel Index 2025, the top destinations in Indian outbound travel are now defined by how well they support well-planned, easy-to-navigate trips, rather than the number of cities visited. As the outbound market grows and matures, those that provide low-friction, well-paced journeys are expected to maintain their advantage, even as travel trends continue to change.
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