Booking.com’s H1 2026 travel data points to Kochi as one of India’s fastest-rising destinations in terms of global discovery and regional demand, driven by consistent growth across search behaviour, traveller segments, and accommodation preferences.At the global level, Kochi is now among the top 10 most-searched Indian destinations, supported by a 30% year-on-year increase in search demand. This positions the city within a broader upward trend for India’s coastal and culture-led destinations. At the same time, Kerala continues to outperform within national benchmarks, ranking as the 3rd most-searched state in India globally, with an overall 40% y-o-y increase in searches.
Accommodation data highlights a structural shift in traveller behaviour
A closer look at regional patterns shows APAC as a key growth driver. Demand from major source markets—including Australia, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, Thailand, Taiwan, and Vietnam—reflects widening awareness of Kochi in short- and medium-haul travel corridors. Within this segment:• Group travel interest has increased by 36% year-on-year• Solo travel demand has risen by 16% year-on-yearThis shift is also reflected in destination rankings, where Kochi has moved up from 9th to 6th position among Indian destinations searched by APAC travellers, indicating stronger conversion from awareness to intent.State-level momentum further supports this trajectory. Kerala has improved its APAC ranking from 5th to 4th most-searched Indian state, reinforcing sustained regional demand. This aligns with broader tourism expansion in the state, which recorded 25.88 million tourist arrivals in 2025, up by nearly 2.9 million compared to 2024.
These indicators show not just rising interest in Kochi, but a clear change in how travellers are choosing to experience the destination
Accommodation data highlights a structural shift in traveller behaviour. Growth is strongest in non-hotel formats, suggesting increasing preference for flexible, experience-led stays:• Holiday homes: +80%• B&Bs: +66%• Guest houses: +54%• Villas: +38%• Homestays: +26%Taken together, the indicators show not just rising interest in Kochi, but a clear change in how travellers are choosing to experience the destination—moving toward longer stays, local immersion, and diversified accommodation choices.Overall, the data positions Kochi as a high-momentum destination within India’s travel landscape, with growth driven simultaneously by global discovery, APAC demand expansion, and evolving stay preferences.
