₹15,000 hotels in Rishikesh, ₹5,000 stays in Sri Lanka: This traveller's choice is fuelling a travel cost debate

A traveller looking to spend a few days in Rishikesh ended up booking a holiday in Sri Lanka instead after finding the overseas trip offered better value for money.

The anecdote, shared by content creator Paritsh Sharrma on social media, has reignited a recurring debate about the rising cost of domestic travel in India and whether international destinations are increasingly becoming more affordable alternatives.

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Sharrma recounted how a friend initially planned a getaway to the popular Uttarakhand destination but was surprised by the overall expenses involved.

“A friend was going to Rishikesh for a trip. Checked decent hotels, Rs 9K–15K per night. Flights from Mumbai to Delhi were Rs 7K–8K one way,” Sharrma wrote on X.

 

 

 

According to his post, accommodation costs alone made the trip significantly more expensive than expected. Airfares added to the bill, with the traveller also needing to factor in the onward journey from Delhi to Rishikesh.

Faced with the growing costs, the traveller reportedly began exploring other options and eventually settled on Sri Lanka.

“On the same budget, he booked Sri Lanka instead,” Sharrma wrote.

He claimed that the neighbouring island nation offered a far more attractive package for the price. According to Sharrma, sea-facing five-star hotels in Sri Lanka were available for around Rs 3,000 to Rs 5,000 per night, making the international trip appear more economical than the domestic getaway.

The content creator further argued that the destination provided “better value for money”, cleaner surroundings and a more tourism-friendly experience.

The post sparked a wider conversation about the cost of domestic tourism, with several users sharing their views on whether Indian destinations still offer value for money.

One user agreed with the comparison and wrote, "The math honestly checks out. When Sri Lanka gets you a 5-star sea-facing stay for less than a domestic hotel, something's off with the pricing here. Value drives where people go, plain and simple."

Another user said the comparison made sense beyond religious tourism. "Kinda agree, if you remove the spiritual tourism angle. In terms of cleanliness, crowd behavior, privacy, climate etc. Indian places are offering far lesser value for money, kinda doesn't feel worth the money you are paying."

A third user linked the issue to broader demographic pressures, writing, "No one wanted to bell the Cat & address the problems due to population explosion. Now various facets of challenges are being faced by everyone."

Not everyone agreed with the decision to travel abroad. One user pointed out that the traveller could have explored destinations within India instead. "Your friend moved out 200 precious dollars out of the country. Nothing really wrong, his hard earnings...he could have chosen some other destination like Tawang, Shillong etc if destination was not an issue."