Celebrate and explore: Decoding the rise of festival tourism

Festival season in India is the perfect opportunity to explore the country’s vast and vibrant cultural heritage. Now, a growing number of travellers are embracing festive time travel, visiting specific states to experience iconic celebrations for occasions such as Ganesh Chaturthi, Durga Puja and more.

“We are observing a discernible shift in how families are celebrating festivals. Travel has become non-negotiable, with customers increasingly using festival periods as an opportunity to both celebrate and explore new destinations,” says Rajeev Kale, president and country head of Holidays at Thomas Cook.

For travellers like homemaker Mitali Prakash, this can be “a dream come true.” “I fulfilled my childhood dream of visiting Mumbai during Ganesh Chaturthi last year. The vibrant energy, joy and chaos of the city was an experience,” she shares.

Shedding more light on this trend, Anuj Rathi, chief business and growth officer at Cleartrip, explains that travellers are increasingly prioritising culturally immersive experiences while choosing their holiday destinations. “Around 65% of travellers consider cultural factors essential when choosing destinations. Early indicators show robust demand for Dussehra week, with a 10% increase in bookings to destinations such as Kolkata around Durga Puja,” he tells us.

Interestingly, this does not mean tourists are limiting themselves to domestic holiday spots. In fact, travel data shows that there has been a 30% uptick in visa applications during festive periods, indicating that more people are seeking unique travel experiences, whether in groups or alone.

This, however, does not stop at Indian festivals — more people are willing to travel abroad to witness the celebrations of other festivals than ever before.

“A growing number (25%) are applying for visas to international destinations to participate in global festivities,” explains Mohak Nahta, founder and CEO of Atlys, adding, “According to our data, travellers are increasingly venturing abroad, especially during Christmas. European destinations including Germany, Switzerland and the United Kingdom have seen a 20% increase in visa applications, as tourists seek the festive charm of Christmas markets and other winter celebrations.”