New Delhi, 17th October – Skyscanner unveiled its Travel Trends 2026 Report with an energetic celebration in New Delhi, headlined by Indian cricket sensation Suryakumar ‘SKY’ Yadav, captain of the men’s T20I side and Skyscanner’s first-ever brand ambassador in India.
Held at Latango, Nehru Place, the event brought together media, travel partners, and fans for an afternoon of insights, inspiration and interaction. The launch featured a keynote presentation by Neel Ghose, Skyscanner’s Travel Trends and Destinations Expert, who unveiled the overarching travel theme for 2026, emerging traveller behaviours, and India’s top trending and best-value destinations for the year ahead.
The highlight of the session was an engaging fireside chat between SKY and Neel, where SKY reflected on how travel has shaped his personal and professional journey. On the ‘Altitude Shift’ trend he spoke passionately about how mountains resonated with his adventurous spirit and his love for pausing in quieter, more serene spots. With his trademark wit, he then turned to ‘Family Miles,’ the trend of multi-generational family travel, joking that his wife was the real “Skyscanner” at home, expertly curating their itineraries, a testament to his love for family vacations. When asked about his next dream destination, he shared his wish to explore the tea estates and cultural heritage of Jorhat. Wrapping up the conversation on a personal note, SKY named Abhishek Sharma as his go-to travel companion within the Indian cricket team, adding a light-hearted touch that made the conversation even more enjoyable for the audience.
Ahead of the session, Neel also presented SKY with a custom Skyscanner-themed cricket bat and jersey.
Commenting on the occasion, SKY shared his appreciation for the event’s unique blend of insights and experiences. “The insights from Skyscanner’s Travel Trends 2026 Report are truly inspiring, and the event itself was wonderfully curated. What stood out to me most was how deeply Skyscanner understands Indian travellers — their insights and data really bring that to life. It’s amazing to see how their initiatives are making travel more accessible and exciting for people across India. As a brand, Skyscanner constantly pushes boundaries, and that’s a value I genuinely connect with.”
Reflecting on the session, Neel Ghose, said, “It was fantastic to see how our 2026 travel trends align with the real experiences of travellers like SKY. His personal insights made the conversation even more engaging, and it was wonderful to see the audience so involved throughout the discussion.”
Adding to the excitement, 10 lucky winners of the #360WithSkyscanner social media challenge were invited for an exclusive meet and greet with SKY. This was the result of a contest in September, wherein fans were asked to create personalised travel itineraries for SKY using Skyscanner, with the most creative entries earning a chance to meet him in person.
During this segment, the winners got the opportunity to spend time with SKY through a series of fun, interactive games, from guessing his travel and food preferences to challenging him to identify iconic cricketers based on playful clues. The room was filled with laughter, friendly banter, and camaraderie as fans connected with SKY beyond the pitch. He also felicitated the winners, appreciating their creativity and passion for both cricket and travel.
The launch of the Skyscanner Travel Trends 2026 Report concluded with networking and photo sessions, marking another milestone in Skyscanner’s mission to connect travellers with the world, one inspiring journey at a time.
Photos and highlights from the event are available here.
View the full Travel Trends 2026 Report here.
