India’s Pilgrimage Tourism Sees Rapid Growth; Driving Accommodation Boom

India’s rich heritage of spiritual journeys is witnessing renewed vigour, with pilgrimage tourism emerging as one of the fastest-growing sectors in the country’s travel and tourism industry.

The latest report from MakeMyTrip, titled Pilgrimage Travel Trends 2024-25, reveals that accommodation bookings across 56 pilgrimage destinations increased by 19% during FY24-25, highlighting robust demand and shifting travel preferences.

Traditional spiritual hubs such as Prayagraj, Varanasi, Ayodhya, Puri, Amritsar, and Tirupati continue to draw large numbers of devotees, maintaining their stature as key pilgrimage sites.

At the same time, lesser-known but rapidly emerging destinations like Khatushyam Ji, Omkareshwar, and Thiruchendur are gaining popularity, contributing to a broad-based demand across the pilgrimage circuit.

This surge in visitor numbers is stimulating a wave of new accommodation supply.

Over the past three years, more than one-third of all hotel rooms in pilgrimage towns have been added, with premium accommodations experiencing even faster growth.

The rise of homestays and alternative lodging options also mirrors evolving traveller preferences.

Traveller Behaviour and Preferences

Pilgrimage travellers generally undertake short, purpose-driven visits, with 53% booking stays of a single night, while only 11% extend their stay to three nights.

Group travel is notably more prevalent among pilgrims, accounting for 47% of trips, compared to 39% for leisure travel.

The trend towards premiumisation is clear: bookings for rooms priced between ₹7,000 and ₹10,000 surged by 24%, and those above ₹10,000 increased by 23%.

Additionally, homestays and other alternate stays now make up nearly 10% of all bookings, reflecting a growing appetite for personalised and authentic lodging experiences.

Another distinctive feature is the dominance of last-minute bookings, with 63% of reservations made within six days of travel, underscoring the spontaneity characteristic of Indian travellers.

The rapid expansion of accommodation options in pilgrimage towns is striking.

New hotel rooms account for over a third of the current inventory, added within the last three years.

Homestays, apartments, and hostels have seen even more rapid growth, driven by both new properties and existing ones joining the market to capitalise on rising demand.

Premium accommodations have scaled up dramatically as well, with 63% of today’s premium supply launched during this period.

This reflects the travel industry’s proactive response to capturing the growing segment of affluent pilgrims seeking comfort alongside spiritual fulfilment.

Blending Pilgrimage with Leisure

MakeMyTrip data shows an evolving trend where spiritual and leisure travel increasingly converge.

In FY24-25, 52% of holiday packages focused solely on pilgrimage destinations, while 48% included a mix of pilgrimage and leisure sites within the same itinerary.

This signals travellers’ desire for richer, more diverse holiday experiences that blend spiritual journeys with relaxation and exploration.

Rajesh Magow, Co-Founder and Group CEO of MakeMyTrip, remarked, “Pilgrimage travel has always been part of our culture, but what we see now is its scale and consistency across the country. Stronger connectivity and growing aspirations across all age groups are broadening expectations and prompting the industry to innovate for pilgrim travellers.”

To cater to this growing market, MakeMyTrip has launched several initiatives, such as Loved by Devotees — a curated list of hotels near key shrines — and highlights over 200 festivals across 56 spiritual hubs.

It also offers more than 600 packages tailored for purely spiritual journeys as well as combined spiritual-leisure holidays, supporting the evolving needs of pilgrimage travellers.

Also Read: GST Reform Set To Revive India’s Housing Market Amid Changing Demand