This festive season, it is not your uncle booking the family package tour who is setting travel trends. It is the twenty-something with a backpack, a phone full of reels, and a sudden fascination with ancient temples. Airbnb released its festive travel data on Wednesday (October 21), and the headline finding is unmistakable: Gen Z is driving India’s festive travel boom, and Varanasi is their destination of choice.
According to the data, domestic searches by Indian travellers on Airbnb for the festive travel season grew nearly 40 per cent year-on-year. Searches by Gen Z travellers alone increased by almost the same margin, close to 40 per cent, underlining just how much of this surge is being powered by the country’s youngest travellers. This year, young Indians are looking inward, not outward.
What the numbers say
The Airbnb data, reported by news agency ANI, paints a clear picture of where young travellers want to be this festive season:
- Varanasi stood out as the top choice among Gen Z travellers, followed by North Goa, South Goa, Kolkata and Bengaluru.
- Domestic travel searches overall grew nearly 40 per cent year-on-year.
- Gen Z searches grew by almost 40 per cent, making the youngest cohort the single biggest driver of the surge.
- Family travel searches also grew by over 40 per cent, with Srinagar, Kangra and Amritsar recording particularly strong growth.
The mix of destinations is what travel watchers are finding most interesting. Varanasi and Kolkata speak to a hunger for culture and spirituality. The two Goas bring the coastal getaway crowd. Bengaluru covers city breaks. It is not one kind of trip; it is young travellers sampling everything India has to offer.
Why Varanasi clicks with young travellers
It would have been hard to predict this a few years ago. The city of Kashi, famous for its ghats, temples and Ganga aarti, is now competing with beach destinations in the feeds of the country’s youngest travellers. But the appeal is not hard to decode. Varanasi is photogenic in a way few Indian cities are. The sunrise over the ghats, the boats on the Ganges, the narrow lanes of the old city, all of it is made for short-form video.
There is also a deeper pull. A growing number of young Indians are openly curious about their roots, and Varanasi, one of the oldest living cities in the world, offers that connection in its most concentrated form. The spiritual heritage that once made the city the domain of the devout is now drawing a generation that wants its holidays to mean something.
It is not just the young
The same report notes that families are travelling just as enthusiastically, with searches up over 40 per cent and Srinagar, Kangra and Amritsar recording strong growth. Rural and non-urban destinations are in on the act too: searches there grew by over 30 per cent, with places like Kurung Kumey in Arunachal Pradesh gaining interest alongside favourites such as Shimla and Manali. The festive traveller of 2026 is going wider, not just bigger.
What Airbnb’s India chief said
Amanpreet Singh Bajaj, Country Head for Airbnb India and Southeast Asia, said the standout feature of this year’s festive travel is how Indian travellers are exploring more of their own country.
“What’s particularly exciting about festive travel this year is how Indian travellers are exploring more of their own country. Gen Z is leading the way, showing growing interest in destinations that bring together culture, spirituality, coastlines and vibrant city experiences,” Bajaj said.
He added that travellers are increasingly looking for stays that let them experience destinations in their own way and connect with local communities.
What this means if you are planning a trip
If the data is a guide, a few things are worth keeping in mind. Popular stays in Varanasi, Goa and Kolkata are likely to fill up fast this festive season, and prices on sought-after dates will only move in one direction. Booking early matters more than usual this year. And if you are travelling with Gen Z company, expect the itinerary to include a sunrise at the ghats, because that photo is not taking itself.
FAQs
Which destination is trending most among Gen Z travellers this festive season?
According to Airbnb’s festive travel data, Varanasi emerged as the top choice among Gen Z travellers, ahead of North Goa, South Goa, Kolkata and Bengaluru.
How much have festive travel searches grown this year?
Domestic travel searches on Airbnb for the festive season grew nearly 40 per cent year-on-year, with Gen Z searches rising by almost 40 per cent as well.
Are families travelling more this festive season too?
Yes. Searches by family travellers grew by over 40 per cent year-on-year, with Srinagar, Kangra and Amritsar seeing especially strong growth.
Are offbeat destinations part of the trend?
Searches for rural and non-urban destinations grew by over 30 per cent, with places like Kurung Kumey in Arunachal Pradesh gaining interest alongside favourites such as Shimla and Manali.
What is driving young travellers toward domestic destinations?
Per Airbnb’s India chief, Gen Z travellers are seeking destinations that combine culture, spirituality, coastlines and city experiences, and stays that let them connect with local communities.
The big picture is hard to miss. This festive season, India’s youngest travellers are rediscovering their own country, one ghat, beach and mountain road at a time.
