I'm not in a relationship, so why hasn't he asked me out?

I met this guy on Tinder, and after we exchanged Instagram accounts, we've been chatting for less than a month. He has suggested going out a few times, but something always comes up. He was the one who brought it up first; initially, his parents were visiting, then he had exams. Once he finished his exams, he wanted to know if I was free to meet up, and I said I was somewhat available. He mentioned he might go to his hometown for a family event but didn’t follow up to check when I was available. Today, I decided to ask him if he was free tomorrow, and he told me he's heading to his hometown. I wished him a pleasant trip, but I’m left wondering if this is just a case of bad timing or something else. He was really engaging and chatty at the beginning, but his communication has decreased since his exams. How should I interpret this situation? Is he genuinely busy, or is there something more going on?