With 76% bookings, Rajasthan accounts for most culture and heritage travel in India: OYO report

On Wednesday, September 27, OYO, the online hospitality firm, unveiled its World Tourism Day report, highlighting India's top spiritual, cultural, and heritage destinations. The report highlights Jaipur's emergence as the premier cultural and heritage destination in India, with Rajasthan playing a significant role in this category's bookings.

Jaipur claimed the top spot, followed by Agra, Mysore, Udaipur, and Jodhpur, according to the OYO report. Rajasthan alone accounts for 76 per cent of the leading bookings in this category, with Jaipur securing over 60 per cent of the total bookings. This underscores the strong traveler interest in exploring the state's rich heritage and culture.

In terms of growth, Thekkady, nestled near Kerala's Periyar National Park, leads the way with a remarkable 103 per cent surge in bookings compared to the same period last year, followed by Mysore with a 42 per cent increase. This trend indicates a growing preference among travelers for Southern states.

India's spiritual travel category is also experiencing steady growth. Among the top spiritual destinations, Varanasi maintains its lead with 33 per cent of bookings, followed by Tirupati, Puri, Amritsar, and Haridwar. Puri has witnessed the most substantial growth this year, with a 22 per cent increase compared to H1 2022, followed by Haridwar and Amritsar with 18 per cent and 11 per cent growth, respectively.

The report also highlights other destinations experiencing increased demand in this category, such as Shirdi, Deoghar, Mathura, Vrindavan, and Madurai.

Commenting on summer travel trends, Shreerang Godbole, Chief Service Officer at OYO, remarked, "As we celebrate the diversity of India's travel landscape this World Tourism Day, we are happy to observe a shift in travelers' 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."

He added, "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."

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