From Ayodhya to Omkareshwar, Pilgrimage travel drives 19% jump in bookings in FY25: Report
Leading centres such as Prayagraj, Varanasi, Ayodhya, Puri, Amritsar and Tirupati continued to attract visitors in large numbers
- Sep 10, 2025,
- Updated Sep 10, 2025 6:08 PM IST
Pilgrimage travel is emerging as one of the strongest drivers of India’s tourism industry. Accommodation bookings across 56 pilgrimage destinations grew 19% in FY24-25, according to MakeMyTrip’s Pilgrimage Travel Trends 2024-25. The momentum is broad-based: 34 destinations saw double-digit growth, while 15 recorded gains above 25%.
Leading centres such as Prayagraj, Varanasi, Ayodhya, Puri, Amritsar and Tirupati continued to attract visitors in large numbers. At the same time, smaller hubs like Khatushyam Ji in Rajasthan, Omkareshwar in Madhya Pradesh and Thiruchendur in Tamil Nadu also posted strong growth, signalling a widening canvas of spiritual travel across the country.
The surge is reshaping accommodation supply and traveller behaviour. Over half of all trips were single-night stays, reflecting the purpose-driven nature of these journeys, while bookings for rooms above ₹7,000 rose more than 20%, underlining a clear tilt towards premiumisation. Group travel has also emerged as a defining feature, with 47% of trips made in groups compared to 38.9% in leisure destinations.
“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,” said Rajesh Magow, Co-Founder and Group CEO, MakeMyTrip. “This growing demand is broadening traveller expectations and prompting the industry to innovate in ways that better serve the unique needs of the pilgrim traveller.”
Nearly two in three bookings were made within a week of departure, highlighting how pilgrimage travel reflects the broader last-minute booking trend among Indian travellers. Homestays and alternate accommodations are also gaining traction, now accounting for 10% of bookings in pilgrimage cities. In parallel, more than a third of all hotel rooms at these destinations have been added in just the last three years, with 63% of premium supply also launched during this period.
The trends also show travellers increasingly blending spiritual and leisure experiences. In FY24-25, 52% of package bookings were exclusively for pilgrimage destinations, while 48% combined pilgrimage with leisure stops. This dual demand is shaping the way travel platforms curate offerings — from hotels tagged Loved by Devotees for proximity to temples, to holiday packages that mix devotion with recreation.
Pilgrimage travel is emerging as one of the strongest drivers of India’s tourism industry. Accommodation bookings across 56 pilgrimage destinations grew 19% in FY24-25, according to MakeMyTrip’s Pilgrimage Travel Trends 2024-25. The momentum is broad-based: 34 destinations saw double-digit growth, while 15 recorded gains above 25%.
Leading centres such as Prayagraj, Varanasi, Ayodhya, Puri, Amritsar and Tirupati continued to attract visitors in large numbers. At the same time, smaller hubs like Khatushyam Ji in Rajasthan, Omkareshwar in Madhya Pradesh and Thiruchendur in Tamil Nadu also posted strong growth, signalling a widening canvas of spiritual travel across the country.
The surge is reshaping accommodation supply and traveller behaviour. Over half of all trips were single-night stays, reflecting the purpose-driven nature of these journeys, while bookings for rooms above ₹7,000 rose more than 20%, underlining a clear tilt towards premiumisation. Group travel has also emerged as a defining feature, with 47% of trips made in groups compared to 38.9% in leisure destinations.
“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,” said Rajesh Magow, Co-Founder and Group CEO, MakeMyTrip. “This growing demand is broadening traveller expectations and prompting the industry to innovate in ways that better serve the unique needs of the pilgrim traveller.”
Nearly two in three bookings were made within a week of departure, highlighting how pilgrimage travel reflects the broader last-minute booking trend among Indian travellers. Homestays and alternate accommodations are also gaining traction, now accounting for 10% of bookings in pilgrimage cities. In parallel, more than a third of all hotel rooms at these destinations have been added in just the last three years, with 63% of premium supply also launched during this period.
The trends also show travellers increasingly blending spiritual and leisure experiences. In FY24-25, 52% of package bookings were exclusively for pilgrimage destinations, while 48% combined pilgrimage with leisure stops. This dual demand is shaping the way travel platforms curate offerings — from hotels tagged Loved by Devotees for proximity to temples, to holiday packages that mix devotion with recreation.