Mumbai, 13th March 2025: ixigo, India’s leading OTA for the Next Billion Users, reveals a massive surge in travel bookings to Prayagraj during the Maha Kumbh Mela (January 13 – February 26, 2025). Flight bookings witnessed 5.4x YoY demand, with nearby airports in Lucknow and Varanasi witnessing 69% YoY growth. Train bookings saw a 4x YoY rise, while bus bookings saw the highest surge at 20x YoY, underscoring strong demand across all segments for the world’s largest spiritual gathering.
Gen Z & Solo Travelers Drive Historic Travel Boom to Prayagraj for Maha Kumbh 2025
Booking data from ixigo’s bus business, AbhiBus, highlights a surge in young travelers, with those aged 20-25 making up 26% of total bus bookings. Gen Z bus travelers saw a remarkable 20-fold YoY increase during the Kumbh Mela, and 50% of all bus passengers heading to Prayagraj were under 30. Key origin cities contributing to the surge in demand across the ixigo Group included New Delhi, Mumbai, Kanpur, Meerut, Varanasi, Lucknow, Jaipur, Ranchi, and Ayodhya. A significant shift in travel behavior was also observed, as solo travelers dominated train bookings, making up 60% of the total, surpassing group travel.
Speaking on this, Aloke Bajpai, Group CEO, ixigo, said “The Maha Kumbh Mela has spotlighted the rapid rise of spiritual tourism in India, with a remarkable surge in participation from young travelers. Our data shows that Gen Z and millennials are increasingly embracing cultural and religious journeys, making experiential travel the new norm. As faith-based tourism evolves, the future of travel will be driven by seamless multimodal connectivity – ensuring greater accessibility and convenience for a new generation of spiritually inspired explorers.”