Pilgrimage tourism booms with 19% growth

Pilgrimage tourism in India saw a significant 19% growth in accommodation bookings during FY24-25 across 56 pilgrimage destinations, according to the Pilgrimage Travel Trends 2024-25 report released by MakeMyTrip.

The report highlighted that 34 destinations recorded double-digit growth, while 15 destinations posted growth above 25%, underscoring strong demand for spiritual travel. Established centres such as Prayagraj, Varanasi, Ayodhya, Puri, Amritsar, and Tirupati led the surge, while newer destinations like Khatushyam Ji, Omkareshwar, and Thiruchendur also reported robust increases.

Key findings

• Last-minute bookings dominated: Over 63% of trips were booked within six days of travel.

• Short stays preferred: 53% of travellers opted for one-night stays, while 31% chose two nights, 11% three nights, and only 5% stayed four nights or more.

• Group travel prominent: 47% of pilgrimage trips were booked for groups, compared to 39% for leisure travel.

• Premium stays on the rise: Demand for rooms priced ₹7,000–10,000 per night rose by 24%, while bookings for rooms above ₹10,000 increased by 23%.

• Alternative stays gain ground: Homestays and apartments contributed nearly 10% of total room nights booked.

• New supply additions: One-third of hotel rooms in pilgrimage towns were launched in the past three years, with 63% of premium accommodations added during this period.

Economic and social impact

Industry experts note that the surge in pilgrimage travel is boosting the hospitality sector in tier-2 and tier-3 towns, creating new opportunities for hotels, homestays, and allied services such as food, retail, and transportation.

The report also highlighted the changing traveller profile pilgrimage journeys, once limited to modest stays, are now witnessing higher spending on comfort and amenities. The trend of group bookings reflects the communal and family-oriented nature of such travel, while the prevalence of last-minute reservations indicates growing dependence on digital platforms for flexible planning.

With strong demand across both traditional and emerging destinations, pilgrimage tourism is expected to remain a key driver of India’s domestic travel market. Rising supply of premium and alternative accommodations further indicates the sector’s potential for growth.