Indians travelling more frequently, surge in searches for spiritual destinations: Report

New Delhi: Indians are travelling more frequently, with searches for spiritual destinations like Ayodhya, Ujjain and Badrinath soaring, according to a report unveiled on Monday.

The MakeMyTrip India Travel Trends Report, which dives into travel behaviours based on insights from its base of over 100 million active annual users, reveals that since 2019, there has been a 25 per cent increase in the number of people taking more than three trips a year.

This surge in travel is fuelled by a growing interest in spiritual journeys. Searches for spiritual tourism witnessed a 97 per cent increase in 2023 compared to 2021, according to the report.

Tier-2 and tier-3 cities, in particular, are witnessing a surge in searches for destinations with religious significance. Searches for Ayodhya soared by a whopping 585 per cent in 2023 compared to 2022, as per the report.

Similarly, Ujjain and Badrinath, saw search increases of 359 per cent and 343 per cent, respectively.

The report also finds that weekend getaways continue to be a favourite, with Jim Corbett National Park witnessing a 131 per cent rise in searches in 2023 as compared to 2022. Hill stations like Ooty and Munnar are also popular choices, especially for those from the southern part of the country.

The report also sheds light on international travel preferences, as Dubai, Bangkok, and Singapore remain the top three most searched destinations, while London, Toronto, and New York hold the fort for long-haul travel.

According to the report, there is a growing interest in off-the-beaten-path locations, as searches for destinations like Hong Kong, Almaty (Kazakhstan), Paro (Bhutan), Baku (Azerbaijan), Da Nang (Vietnam), and Tbilisi (Georgia) have all seen significant growth in 2023.

Moreover, family travel bookings are booming, with the report highlighting a 64 per cent surge in 2023 compared to 2022. Solo travel recorded a 23 per cent growth in bookings during the same period.