ixigo Launches “The Great Indian Travel Index 2025”: Gen Z’s Spiritual Journeys and OTT-Inspired Getaways Define the Year

Mumbai: India’s travel landscape in 2025 was shaped by cultural festivals, mega religious gatherings, concerts, and easier visa norms, according to ixigo’s newly released “The Great Indian Travel Index 2025.” The AI-powered travel platform reported strong year-on-year growth across all modes, with flight searches up 45%, train searches rising 20%, and bus searches climbing 42% compared to 2024.

OTT-Inspired Travel Boosts Northeast

Streaming hits such as The Family Man (Season 3), Paatal Lok (Season 2), and Delhi Crime (Season 3) spotlighted the Northeast, sparking real-world demand. Flight bookings surged to Dimapur (+77%), Agartala (+48%), Guwahati and Imphal (+44% each), and Itanagar (+42%), underscoring the region’s growing appeal.

Gen Z Drives Spiritual Travel Boom

Faith-led journeys dominated 2025, with Gen Z powering a surge in spiritual tourism. The Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj saw bus bookings climb nearly 20x year-on-year, while the most expensive domestic flight booked on ixigo was a Mumbai–Prayagraj ticket priced at ₹92,644 during the event.

• Flight bookings rose sharply to Varanasi (+134%), Tirupati (+102%), Prayagraj (+80%), and Ayodhya (+54%).
• Bus bookings spiked to Varanasi (+111%), Mathura (+99%), Ayodhya (+86%), and Rishikesh (+81%).
• Train travel also grew, with Rishikesh (+43%), Prayagraj (+35%), and Ujjain (+25%) among the top gainers.

East Asia Tops International Travel

Indian travellers expanded horizons in 2025, with East Asia leading the way. Japan (+63%) and South Korea (+61%) emerged as the most booked destinations, followed by Vietnam (+57%) and Thailand (+53%). Offbeat choices also gained traction, including Oman (+71%), Kenya (+65%), and Kazakhstan (+54%), reflecting a growing appetite for diverse global experiences.

Hills and Coasts Stay Popular

Domestic leisure travel remained strong, with hill stations leading demand. Dehradun (+64% flights, +99% buses) and Srinagar (+58% flights, doubling train bookings) topped the list. Coastal destinations also thrived, led by Port Blair (+81%), Coimbatore (+47%), and Goa (+27%). Interestingly, monsoon travel grew 35–40% YoY, as travellers embraced nature-led getaways in Lonavala, Munnar, Mahabaleshwar, and Udaipur.

Industry Insights

Aloke Bajpai, Group CEO, and Rajnish Kumar, Group Co-CEO of ixigo, said: “Faith-led travel emerged as a powerful driver, with Varanasi alone witnessing nearly 147 million visits in 2025. Rising disposable incomes and better connectivity are expanding the ecosystem, with over 50% of new flight bookers being first-time flyers. Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities such as Rishikesh, Indore, Nagpur, and Lucknow are increasingly shaping India’s travel narrative.”