From Udaipur, Agatti to Taipei: Where are Indians heading this festive season?

From scenic Indian getaways to overseas adventures, the festive season is bringing a surge in travel demand, with younger Indians leading the rush. Which destinations are drawing the biggest crowds?

In Short

• Diwali travel demand rises across cities and towns
• Udaipur, Bangalore top domestic hotel bookings
• Gen Z leads with 60% rise in flight bookings

Diwali is no longer just about visiting family, shopping and celebrating at home. More Indians are using the festive break to plan holidays, explore lesser-known destinations and book hotel stays, with travel demand rising across cities and smaller towns alike.

According to Cleartrip's PeekABoo travel trends tracker, leisure hotel bookings have jumped 135% for Diwali so far. Flight bookings are also rising, with younger travellers leading the growth and international destinations such as Taipei, Cebu and Dublin gaining popularity.

UDAIPUR, BANGALORE AMONG TOP DOMESTIC DESTINATIONS

Udaipur is seeing a sharp rise in demand this festive season, with hotel bookings increasing by 316% for Diwali so far, according to the data. Bookings in Bangalore have risen 189%, while Jaipur has recorded a 174% increase.

Other destinations are also attracting more travellers. Flight bookings to Agatti have grown 130%, followed by Gaya at 98% and Dimapur at 80%.

Among other domestic destinations, flight bookings to Udaipur have increased 59%, Dibrugarh 37%, Gorakhpur 34%, Jabalpur 29%, Imphal 24% and Dehradun 9%.

The figures suggest that travellers are looking beyond the usual holiday hotspots, with smaller cities and less-explored destinations also seeing increased interest.

GEN Z LEADS THE FESTIVE TRAVEL RUSH

Younger Indians are emerging as a major driver of the travel boom. Flight bookings among travellers aged 15 to 24 have increased 60%, compared with a 6% rise among those aged 25 to 34, the data showed.

Women are also accounting for a growing share of travel bookings, with their share increasing 44% over the same period.

The trend points to growing interest in travel among younger consumers, who are increasingly using festive holidays as an opportunity to explore new places.

BUDGET HOTELS SEE THE BIGGEST JUMP IN BOOKINGS

The rise in festive travel is not limited to luxury holidays. Budget accommodation has recorded the strongest growth among hotel categories, with bookings climbing 201%.

Luxury hotel bookings have increased 162%, while mid-range properties have seen a 148% rise. Premium accommodation bookings are up 114%.

Overall, leisure hotel bookings have grown 135% for Diwali so far and 66% for Navratri, according to the data.

The numbers show that the festive travel rush is spreading across different price categories, with budget-conscious travellers and those opting for more expensive stays both contributing to the rise in demand.

BUS BOOKINGS RISE AS PEOPLE HEAD HOME FOR DIWALI

While flights and hotel stays are drawing holidaymakers, bus travel continues to play an important role during the festive season, particularly for people travelling to their hometowns.

The data shows that bus bookings have increased 80% for Delhi, 76% for Pune, 68% for Nagpur, 63% for Chennai and 57% for Mumbai.

The rise reflects the movement of people returning home to celebrate the festival with family and friends.

TAIPEI, CEBU AND DUBLIN ATTRACT INDIAN TRAVELLERS

Indians are also exploring international destinations beyond the usual holiday choices this festive season.

Taipei has recorded the highest growth among the international destinations listed by Cleartrip, with flight bookings rising 146%. Cebu follows with a 117% increase, while Dublin has seen bookings climb 110%.

Flight bookings to Phu Quoc have grown 106%, and Osaka has recorded a 74% rise.

The increase in bookings to these destinations suggests that some Indian travellers are looking beyond familiar international holiday spots when planning their festive breaks.

With leisure hotel bookings rising sharply, younger travellers driving flight demand and interest spreading across domestic and international destinations, this festive season is shaping up to be a busy one for India's travel industry.

- Ends