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 the age of 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.”
Booking data and trends from ixigo Group for Maha Kumbh 2025
ixigo Flights
● Flight bookings to Prayagraj surged 5.4x YoY
● Nearby airports (Lucknow & Varanasi) have seen a 69% YoY growth
● Top origin cities: Mumbai, Bengaluru, New Delhi, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Pune, Kolkata, Chennai, Goa, and Bhubaneswar
ixigo Trains & ConfirmTkt
● Train bookings to Prayagraj surged 4x YoY
● Solo travellers made up 60% of total train bookings, surpassing group bookings
● Top origin cities: New Delhi, Mumbai, Kanpur, Meerut, Varanasi, and Lucknow
AbhiBus
● Bus bookings to Prayagraj surged 20x YoY
● Young travellers, aged 20-25, accounted for 26% of the total bus bookings
● Top origin cities: New Delhi, Hyderabad, Lucknow, Nagpur, Bengaluru, Jaipur, Ranchi, and Ayodhya
● During Kumbh, the number of Gen Z bus travelers increased 20-fold compared to the previous financial year.
● 50% of the bus passengers traveling to Prayagraj were under 30 years old.
● The most expensive bus seat ever sold was in February 2025 for the Vijayawada-Varanasi route at INR 14,860 for a seat.
AIRFARES OF PRAYAGRAJ, LUCKNOW, VARANASI DURING AND POST-MAHA KUMBH MELA
|
Origin City |
Destination City |
Average fare for travel on 01 Feb – 06 Feb 2025 *Advance Purchase of 0-7 days |
Average fare for travel on 27 Feb – 04 Mar 2025 Advance Purchase of 0-7 days |
Percentage Decrease in Air Fares Post Kumbh |
|
New Delhi |
Prayagraj |
15763 |
4360 |
⇩ 72% |
|
Mumbai |
Prayagraj |
18343 |
6037 |
⇩ 67% |
|
Kolkata |
Prayagraj |
14051 |
5398 |
⇩ 62% |
|
Bengaluru |
Prayagraj |
27330 |
7200 |
⇩ 73% |
|
New Delhi |
Lucknow |
7905 |
4141 |
⇩ 47% |
|
Mumbai |
Lucknow |
16901 |
7928 |
⇩ 53% |
|
Bengaluru |
Lucknow |
18589 |
7356 |
⇩ 60% |
|
New Delhi |
Varanasi |
9570 |
5868 |
⇩ 39% |
|
Mumbai |
Varanasi |
17847 |
7940 |
⇩ 55% |
|
Kolkata |
Varanasi |
10130 |
6926 |
⇩ 32% |
|
Bengaluru |
Varanasi |
18200 |
6307 |
⇩ 65% |