Festive travel demand expected to soar in India: Ebix Travel
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Booking behaviour reflects a clear festive shift: the lead time has expanded to 7–15 days, compared to just 1–3 days during non-festive months.
Ebix Travel projects an unprecedented surge in rail, bus and air travel demand as the country enters its peak festive season. Early booking behaviour, coupled with a cultural imperative to reunite with families, is driving multi-fold growth in both search volumes and confirmed reservations for Durga Puja and Diwali travel.
Commenting on the outlook, Ankur Sharma, Chief Business Officer, Via.com (Ebix Travel) said: “Festive travel in India is more than mobility—it is a cultural movement that connects families, traditions, and destinations. This year, travellers are planning smarter and earlier with booking lead times rising to 7–15 days. We are also witnessing a surge in digital-first adoption, with UPI emerging as the fastest-growing payment mode, reflecting how India’s travellers are embracing convenience alongside tradition. As the season unfolds, we remain committed to ensuring every journey is seamless, memorable, and reflective of India’s cultural spirit of togetherness”
Occupancy on premium intercity bus routes is expected to hit 95–100%, with fares rising 1.5 to 3X above baseline levels, underscoring strong demand elasticity. Tier 2 and Tier 3 corridors are emerging as the backbone of festive mobility, accounting for nearly 62% of total bookings as travellers head home for celebrations. Metro-to-hometown routes—such as Bengaluru to Andhra Pradesh and Telangana during Dussehra, and Delhi to Uttar Pradesh and Bihar for Diwali—are registering peak load factors. In Eastern India, Durga Puja traffic is centred around Kolkata’s outbound routes to Asansol, Durgapur, and Siliguri, reaffirming the cultural significance of regional travel.
In aviation, the festive season is reshaping traffic composition. Corporate travel share is set to decline to 15–20%, while family and leisure segments surge to 65–70% of total bookings, a significant change from non-festive periods. Pilgrimage and spiritual tourism account for an additional 10–12%, driven by India’s cultural traditions. Top domestic destinations include Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Lucknow, Patna, and Kolkata, while Dubai, Singapore, and Bangkok dominate outbound leisure demand, extending into the Christmas–New Year travel window.
Traditionally the backbone of long-distance travel in India, trains face a severe supply crunch during the festive season. With limited seat availability, millions of travellers are compelled to shift to buses and flights, triggering a cascading surge in demand and fares across these modes.
Ebix Travel data further highlights the demographic engine of festive travel, millennials (26–40 years) make up 40% of the base, with Gen Z (18–25 years) close behind at 28%. The gender mix skews 70% male and 30% female, while single travellers represent half of all bookings, followed by couples (30%) and groups (20%). On the payments front, UPI is witnessing explosive adoption, complementing traditional credit and debit card transactions and underscoring India’s leap toward digital-first travel spending.
The spending profile of Indian travellers is also evolving. Domestic trips during this period average ₹3,000–₹7,000 per day, while short-haul international travel ranges between ₹25,000–₹35,000 for a week. Newer destinations such as Vietnam, Georgia, and Japan are also gaining popularity among Indian outbound travellers.
