Airbnb highlights how Indian women are shaping travel trends in 2025

This International Women’s Day, Airbnb is celebrating the growing community of women hosts and travellers who are driving hospitality and travel trends across India

Nearly 30% of Airbnb hosts in India are women, and they manage almost 35% of Guest Favourite listings, highlighting their impact in delivering exceptional guest experiences and shaping local tourism.

Embracing this year’s theme, ‘Give to Gain’, Airbnb recognises the role women play in strengthening communities through hosting and travel. By sharing their homes, culture and local knowledge, women hosts are creating economic opportunities not only for themselves but also for their communities.

Highlighting Airbnb’s commitment to enabling women entrepreneurs across India, Amanpreet Singh Bajaj, Airbnb’s Country Head for India and Southeast Asia, said, “Women who host are not just building successful businesses, but also strengthening local economies and communities. When women share their homes, skills and stories, they create opportunities not just for themselves, but for others around them. In turn, guests contribute to local livelihoods, helping circulate value deeper into communities. When women thrive, entire communities benefit.”

Beyond hosting, Indian women travelers are also increasingly shaping travel trends on Airbnb. Duo travel followed by small group trips remained the most popular trip type amongst Indian women travelers. In terms of destinations, internationally Dubai, London, Bangkok, Paris, Ubud, Amsterdam, Tokyo and Rome were the most searched destinations for Indian women travelers in 2025. Domestically, North and South Goa, Bengaluru, Mumbai, Jaipur, Gurugram, and Pune District were the most searched destinations.

Beyond established hotspots, women travellers are increasingly exploring emerging and culturally rich destinations. Dakshina Kannada and Mathura both recorded approximately 50% year-on-year increase in bookings, signalling rising interest in spiritual, heritage and nature-led travel. Internationally, the town of Kazbegi in Georgia recorded an over 100% year-on-year increase in bookings on it.

This growing momentum toward emerging and off-beat destinations reflects a broader shift among women travellers toward more intentional, experience-led journeys, where travel not only creates personal memories but also supports local communities and smaller tourism ecosystems.

It has also been working to strengthen this ecosystem through initiatives such as the Airbnb Entrepreneurship Academy in Goa, the first of its kind in India. The program equips aspiring homestay entrepreneurs with skills in hospitality, business fundamentals and sustainable hosting, with a dedicated focus on empowering women and supporting rural communities. Many of the organisations in India receiving donations from the Airbnb Community Fund this year also work to advance opportunities for women.

Sharing her journey, Babita, a Host in Uttarakhand who upskilled through the Airbnb Entrepreneurship Academy, said, “Before the academy training, we were running a homestay without really knowing how. Airbnb taught us important skills like how to register, how to host, and how to share our culture. It gave me the confidence to grow my small idea into a sustainable livelihood .”

This International Women’s Day, Airbnb continues its commitment to creating more inclusive opportunities for women. Through hosting and travel, women across India are helping build stronger local economies while contributing to a more diverse and resilient tourism landscape.