Pilgrimage Travel Rises 19% In FY25; Varanasi, Ayodhya Among Top Destinations: MakeMyTrip Report
The travel trend comed at a time when premiumisation is becoming a fast-growing theme in the Indian consumption space. The GST cuts may also help drive these trends.
Pilgrimage travel is fast-becoming one of the most emerging travel trends in India, according to MakeMyTrip’s Pilgrimage Travel Trends 2024-25. In fiscal 2024-25, pilgrimage travel, across 56 spiritual destinations, witnessed a strong growth of 19%. Some of the prominent destinations for travellers included Varanasi, Prayagraj and Ayodhya - all located in Uttar Pradesh.
Among other states, Puri (Odisha), Amritsar (Punjab) and Tirupati (Andhra Pradesh) have logged in strong growth, while small centres such as the Khatushyam Ji in Rajasthan and Omkareshwar Temple in Madhya Pradesh also witnessed robust demand.
The report reveals some interesting data points, including a late-booking trend emerging in India when it comes to pilgrimage travel.
Indeed, more than 63% of pilgrimage trips were booked within a week of travel. Short stays also dominated trends, with over half of visitors opting for single-night visits. Only 5% of visitors stayed four nights or more.
Group travel was another key trend, with 47% of bookings being made by groups, friends or family. Premium travel is also gaining ground. While most rooms booked were priced below Rs 4,500, bookings in hotels priced at Rs 7,000 or above saw a 20% growth. Homestays and apartments accounted for 10% of total stays.
This comes at a time when premiumisation is becoming a fast-growing theme in the Indian consumption space. The recent GST cuts announced by the government may also help drive these trends going forward.
MakeMyTrip co-founder and group CEO, Rajesh Magow, welcomed the recent GST reformations, stating, “The rationalisation of GST slabs is a welcome move that will act as a stimulus to the Indian economy by boosting discretionary income and fuelling consumption across sectors."
"For travel and tourism, the cut in GST on hotel rooms priced below Rs 7,500 will make stays more affordable for a large share of Indian travellers, reinforcing demand in the domestic market," he added
Talking about the pilgrimage travel trends emerging in India, Rajesh Magow said stronger connectivity has played a key role in driving this demand.
“Pilgrimage Travel has always been part of our culture, but what we see now is its scale and consistency across the country. We are seeing steady growth, fuelled by stronger connectivity and Indians across all age groups and income segments planning pilgrimage-led trips," he said.
