One97 Communications Limited (OCL), the entity behind the Paytm brand, reported consistent growth in spiritual, cultural, leisure, and impulsive travel segments, reflecting the growing aspirations and renewed eagerness of Indians to travel more frequently.
Spiritual tourism stood out as a key growth driver throughout the year. The Kumbh Mela was a pivotal event, with reservations for Prayagraj surging over threefold in January and February. This represented a significant leap from 2024, when pilgrimage hubs like Ayodhya, Shirdi, and Varanasi had already experienced nearly 50 percent year-on-year growth. In 2025, searches for Ayodhya, Varanasi, and Tirupati rose by 34 percent, further solidifying faith-based travel as a dominant trend.
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Festival schedules continued to greatly influence travel behavior. During Chhath Puja, flight reservations to Patna increased by 25 percent, showcasing one of the largest annual migration patterns in the country. Similar surges had been observed in past years around significant festivals like Holi, emphasizing the lasting impact of cultural events on seasonal travel demand.
The data also indicated a rise in spontaneous travel behaviors. Bookings on the platform spiked 15 percent right after salary disbursements, highlighting a clear correlation between disposable income cycles and travel choices.
Entertainment tourism saw renewed energy in 2025, with concerts serving as major travel catalysts. Cities like Mumbai and Bengaluru experienced increased inbound traffic as live events spurred short trips, continuing a trend that had begun in 2024, when concert-driven travel surged over 40 percent, notably among younger travelers.
Leisure destinations remained strong. Srinagar emerged as a remarkable recovery story, recording an unprecedented number of bookings throughout the year, while Goa drew in even more travelers than in 2024, retaining its status as India’s top holiday destination.
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A significant trend was the growth of travel beyond major metropolitan areas. Tier-2 cities such as Indore, Lucknow, Patna, Surat, and Kochi saw a notable increase in inbound traffic, indicating deeper digital integration and rising travel ambitions across regional India.
In response to these insights, a Paytm spokesperson remarked, “Travel trends in 2025 reinforce patterns that have been progressively solidifying over the years. From the persistent growth of spiritual and festival-related travel to increased spontaneity, event-driven trips, and heightened interest from Tier-2 cities, users consistently put their trust in Paytm Travel. We remain committed to creating a seamless, reliable, and scalable travel ecosystem that meets India’s evolving mobility requirements.”
The company has recently launched Paytm Checkin, an AI-powered travel app that delivers personalized recommendations and conversational booking for flights, trains, buses, and metro services within a single interface. Paytm Checkin offers zero convenience fees, affordable flight cancellations, rapid refunds, and a subscription-based Travel Pass, which includes additional perks such as travel insurance and free cancellations.
With features like real-time flight updates, Ticket Assure for trains, and Paytm Assured for buses, the platform aims to enhance reliability and transparency while supporting India’s quickly changing travel environment.
