This festive season, India is packing its bags like never before. Travel bookings have jumped three to four times over last year, says a festive travel trends report released this week by Scapia, and travellers are increasingly skipping the crowded hotspots for quieter coastlines, misty hill towns and islands that barely made it onto itineraries until now.
With Dussehra just behind us and Diwali around the corner, India has rediscovered the joy of getting away, and is doing it differently than before.
Beyond Goa: The New Favourite Escapes
For the Dussehra week, beach and hill stay bookings each grew 3.5 times over last year. Goa remains the undisputed crowd favourite, with stays up 4.4 times, but the real story is in the smaller coastal towns snapping at its heels. Gokarna, Karnataka’s laid-back alternative to Goa, recorded an eightfold jump in bookings, followed by Kerala’s Varkala and Kollam picking up serious momentum.
The hills tell a similar story. Srinagar, Mussoorie and Manali remain popular, with bookings growing six to seven times. Closer to Mumbai, Igatpuri saw searches rise 4.5 times, suggesting that quick weekend escapes are booming alongside longer breaks.
Island holidays are having a moment too. October check-ins for the Andaman islands grew five times over last year, with travellers venturing beyond Port Blair to explore Havelock and Neil islands. Lakshadweep is also seeing a noticeable rise in bookings, a sign that island destinations are moving from bucket-list dreams to actual Diwali-week plans.
The Journey Is Becoming the Holiday
One of the most interesting findings: Indians are no longer travelling only for the destination. Bookings for Vistadome coaches, the rail coaches with panoramic glass windows and roofs, have doubled this festive season. The route matters as much as the endpoint now.
The most popular scenic routes include the Pune to Mumbai stretch through the Bhor Ghat, the Bengaluru to Mangaluru run across the Western Ghats, the Visakhapatnam to Araku Valley line, and the UNESCO-listed Kalka-Shimla railway. For families and groups, these rides are turning a simple train journey into the highlight of the trip.
Diwali Week Goes Premium
Diwali itself is shaping up as the season’s biggest travel window. Searches and bookings for beach stays during Diwali week are up 4.8 times over last year, and international flight bookings for the same period have climbed nearly four times, pointing to strong appetite for overseas holidays.
These beach breaks are among the longest and most premium domestic trips of the festive season, averaging close to two nights. Nearly one in three beach stays is being booked at five-star properties, and three in ten bookings include children, showing how family travel is powering this demand.
On the ground, the rush is real. On popular routes like Mumbai to Nagpur and Pune to Nagpur, festive train tickets have sold out, pushing last-minute airfares to nearly Rs 19,000 for Mumbai to Nagpur and around Rs 17,697 for Pune to Nagpur, according to travel reports this week. For a family of four, flying home for Diwali could now cost over Rs 70,000, a sobering reminder that booking early is not just advice anymore.
Year-End: Heritage, Wildlife and New Horizons
Looking past Diwali, the year-end picture is just as lively. Heritage stay bookings are tracking at 4.8 times last year’s pace. Jaipur and Udaipur continue to draw visitors, but offbeat heritage destinations are the breakout stars: Ajanta-Ellora bookings are up 4.9 times and Kumbhalgarh 4.6 times. Wildlife experiences and international getaways are also gaining ground for the Christmas and New Year window.
What This Means for Your Plans
The message for travellers is simple:
- Book early, especially for premium stays. Five-star beach properties for Diwali week are filling fast, and prices only climb from here.
- Consider the alternates. Gokarna over Goa, Varkala over Kovalam, Igatpuri over Lonavala. You get the festive vibe without the festival of crowds.
- Try a Vistadome ride. If the tickets are available, a glass-roofed journey through the ghats beats any flight window seat.
- Watch fare calendars. International flight interest is up fourfold, so flexible dates can save serious money.
FAQs
Which destinations are trending most for Diwali travel this year?
Beach destinations lead the pack, with bookings up 4.8 times. Gokarna, Varkala, the Andamans and Lakshadweep are the fastest-growing, while Goa, Srinagar and Manali remain strong favourites.
Are international trips also rising this festive season?
Yes. International flight bookings for Diwali week are up nearly four times over last year, indicating a strong appetite for overseas holidays alongside domestic trips.
What are Vistadome coaches and why are they popular?
Vistadome coaches are rail coaches with panoramic glass windows and roofs for sightseeing. Bookings have doubled this festive season, with the Kalka-Shimla and Visakhapatnam-Araku Valley routes among the most sought after.
Is festive train travel really that crowded?
On busy corridors like Mumbai-Pune to Nagpur, festive tickets have already sold out, pushing last-minute airfares close to Rs 19,000. Booking weeks in advance is strongly advised.
What is the year-end travel outlook?
Heritage destinations are booming, with bookings tracking at 4.8 times last year’s pace. Ajanta-Ellora and Kumbhalgarh are seeing the sharpest growth, while wildlife and international trips round out the New Year plans.
India’s festive calendar has always moved people. This year it is moving them further and more creatively than ever: a beach in Gokarna, a glass-roofed ride through the ghats, a heritage walk in Kumbhalgarh. Travel itself has become the celebration.
