India’s festive travel season witnessed a shift towards affordable comfort, with travellers choosing “smart luxury” over lavish indulgence. New data from Thrillophilia, a travel and experiences platform, shows that mid-range leisure stayed priced between ₹2,000 and ₹6,000 per night rose 22 per cent year-on-year and now make up nearly half of all bookings.
Travellers upgrade the day, not the bed
The platform attributes this change to the rollout of GST 2.0 and stronger festive sentiment. “India’s new default is smart luxury, save on the bed, splurge on the day,” said Abhishek Daga, co-founder of Thrillophilia. “With travel feeling slightly more affordable, people are more open to taking that extra trip or upgrading their stay. This is a healthy sign for both travellers and hospitality operators in emerging leisure destinations.”
Short breaks and weekend getaways are driving demand, with two to three-night trips making up 58 per cent of all stays, up six percentage points from last year. The average trip duration is 2.6 nights, and travellers are booking earlier, with the average window now at 21 days, three days longer than last festive season.
Experience over extravagance
Travellers are also being strategic with their spending. Air travel data shows a 21 per cent rise in the use of miles and upgrade vouchers, while premium-cabin bookings have dipped by nearly three percentage points compared with Diwali 2024.
Instead of luxury suites or business-class tickets, Indians are opting for boutique stays and directing savings towards premium experiences. According to Thrillophilia, bookings for trekking trips are up 27 per cent, local sightseeing by 24 per cent, and cultural and culinary activities by 22 per cent. The average spend on experiences has reached ₹3,600, signalling a shift towards more immersive holidays.
Jaipur, Lucknow and Bhopal lead
Across India, Jaipur has recorded a 26 per cent jump in stays priced between ₹2,000 and ₹6,000, making it the top affordable-stay market. Lucknow is leading in family short breaks, with two to three-night stays now forming 59 per cent of all bookings, seven percentage points higher than last year. Bhopal holds the highest weekend occupancy at 81 per cent.
Other cities show distinct trends:
- Hyderabad’s travellers plan earliest, with an average booking window of 24 days.
- Bhubaneswar has seen adventure and cultural bookings rise 31 per cent year-on-year.
- Chennai recorded a 23 per cent increase in miles and voucher usage.
- Kolkata leads short-trip bookings, with 61 per cent of stays lasting two to three nights.
- Patna’s Diwali-week inventory sold out three days earlier than last year.
- Panaji dominates boutique stays, which now account for 54 per cent of nights booked.
Spending smarter, travelling more
Average spending on domestic trips ranges from ₹25,000 to ₹45,000, while short-haul international holidays cost between ₹60,000 and ₹95,000. Travellers aren’t cutting budgets, they’re redistributing them. The focus has shifted from room upgrades to richer daily experiences, reflecting a “smart luxury” approach that blends affordability with quality.
