Disha Shah Ghosh - Mumbai Tracking travel trends across India, OYO has published its World Tourism Day report focusing on India’s top spiritual, culture and heritage destinations.
As per the data analysed between January and June, 2023, Jaipur has emerged as the top cultural and heritage destination, followed by Agra, Mysore, Udaipur, and Jodhpur. Interestingly, Rajasthan alone contributes to 76% of the top bookings in this category, with Jaipur observing over 60% of the total bookings. This indicates a strong desire among travellers to explore the rich heritage and culture of the state.
In term of growth, Thekkady, situated near Periyar National Park in Kerala, takes the lead with a 103% increase in bookings compared to the same period last year, followed by Mysore at 42%, showcasing a growing preference among travellers for the Southern states.
Top Heritage Destinations- Zone Wise
North- Agra
South- Mysore
West- Jaipur
East- Bodh Gaya
The spiritual travel category is also witnessing a steady growing in India, fuelled by the desire to pursue enlightenment and self-discovery among millennials and Genz. Among the top spiritual destinations, Varanasi continues to take the lead with 33% of the bookings, followed by Tirupati, Puri, Amritsar, and Haridwar. Compared to H12022, Puri has clocked the maximum growth this year at 22%, followed by Haridwar and Amritsar at 18% and 11% respectively. Other destinations that continue to witness an uptick in demand in this category are Shirdi, Deoghar, Mathura, Vrindavan, and Madurai.
Top Spiritual Destinations- Zone Wise
North- Amritsar
South- Tirupati
West- Shirdi
East- Varanasi
Commenting on the summer travel trends, Shreerang Godbole, Chief Service Officer, OYO said, “As we celebrate the diversity of India’s travel landscape this World Tourism Day, we are happy to observe a shift in travellers’ preferences. More and more people are prioritizing meaningful experiences over luxury and materialism. Spiritual and cultural travel has always been important for India’s tourism, but it’s interesting to see how much it has grown in recent years. Destinations like Varanasi, Tirupati, Puri, and Rajasthan have consistently been popular since 2021. As India’s interest in cultural and spiritual travel grows, we’re committed to supporting local hotels and homeowners, creating job opportunities and boosting the local economy in the process.”
