Domestic spiritual tourism is witnessing unprecedented growth in India, with younger travellers, solo women and smartphone users reshaping the traditional pilgrimage experience. According to Cleartrip’s latest PeekABoo Trends Tracker, destinations linked to major religious circuits such as the Char Dham Yatra and the Amarnath Yatra have recorded significant increases in bookings across flights, hotels, buses and trains.
The report highlights a clear shift in travel behaviour. Pilgrimage journeys, once largely associated with family groups and elderly devotees, are now attracting independent travellers seeking spiritual experiences alongside convenience and digital booking options.
One of the biggest trends this year is the growing participation of solo women travellers. During the ongoing Amarnath Yatra, flight bookings by female solo travellers increased by 20 per cent compared to last year. The data reflects increasing confidence among women choosing to undertake spiritual journeys independently.
The Amarnath Yatra has also boosted bookings across multiple travel categories. Hotel reservations for the pilgrimage route rose by 22 per cent year-on-year, while bus bookings surged by an impressive 104 per cent. Dwarka, another major religious destination, also recorded a 37 per cent increase in bookings made by solo women travellers.
The Char Dham Yatra continues to remain one of India’s biggest pilgrimage circuits, generating strong demand across transport and accommodation. Haridwar, one of the main gateways to the Char Dham route, witnessed a 161 per cent increase in hotel bookings and a 203 per cent jump in bus bookings. Nearby Rishikesh also recorded a 113 per cent rise in bus bookings.
Train travel remained an important part of the pilgrimage ecosystem, with Char Dham corridor routes witnessing notable growth. Travellers booking these journeys mainly originated from Bengaluru, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Delhi, Pune, Kolkata, Chennai and Ahmedabad, indicating strong nationwide participation.
India’s religious festival calendar has also contributed significantly to the rise in domestic tourism. Puri, which hosts the famous Jagannath Rath Yatra and Bahuda Yatra, registered more than 200 per cent growth in hotel bookings during the festive season.
Mathura, a major centre for celebrations such as Guru Purnima and Govardhan Parikrama, recorded a 196 per cent increase in hotel bookings. Meanwhile, Varanasi experienced 161 per cent growth as devotees travelled during the holy month of Sawan and the Kanwar Yatra.
Apart from seasonal destinations, several year-round pilgrimage centres also witnessed sustained demand. Prayagraj, Ayodhya, Haridwar, Udupi, Thanjavur, Thrissur, Gokarna and Tirupati all recorded triple-digit growth in hotel and bus bookings, reflecting the continued popularity of spiritual tourism across different regions of the country.
Accommodation preferences also reveal changing traveller behaviour. Budget hotels emerged as the most popular choice, recording an impressive 386 per cent year-on-year growth. Mid-range hotels followed with a 164 per cent increase, suggesting that affordability remains a key factor for pilgrims planning their journeys.
The findings indicate that India’s spiritual tourism sector is evolving rapidly. Digital bookings, improved connectivity and changing traveller demographics are making pilgrimage travel more accessible than ever before. As younger Indians continue to embrace faith-based travel, spiritual destinations are expected to remain a major contributor to India’s domestic tourism growth in the coming years.
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