Celebrate and explore: Understanding the rise of festival tourism

Rajiv Kale, President and Country Head, Holidays, Thomas Cook, says, “We are seeing a shift in how families are celebrating festivals. With travel now becoming a necessity, customers are using the festive season as an opportunity to celebrate and explore new destinations.”

For travellers like homemaker Mitali Prakash, it 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 says.

Shedding more light on this trend, Anuj Rathi, Chief Business and Growth Officer, Cleartrip, explains that travellers are increasingly preferring culturally immersive experiences when choosing their holiday destinations. “Around 65% of travellers consider cultural factors essential when choosing destinations. Early indicators show strong demand for Dussehra week, with bookings for destinations like Kolkata increasing by 10% around Durga Puja,” he told us.

Interestingly, this doesn’t mean that tourists are limiting themselves to domestic holiday destinations. In fact, travel data shows that visa applications increase by 30% during the festive season, indicating that more people are seeking unique travel experiences, whether in a group or alone.

However, this is not limited to Indian festivals – more people are now willing to travel abroad to see other festivals than before.

Mohak Nahata, Founder and CEO of Eatalys, explains, “A growing number (25%) are applying for visas to international destinations to take part in global festivities,” adding, “According to our data, travellers are particularly keen to travel abroad during Christmas. European destinations, including Germany, Switzerland and the United Kingdom, have seen a 20% rise in visa applications, as tourists seek the festive charm of Christmas markets and other winter celebrations.”