From Maha Kumbh To Holi, Why India Is No 1 Asian Country For Spiritual Trips

For many Indian travellers, the motivation to plan a trip goes beyond leisure and relaxation. Spiritual tourism continues to be a major priority, with annual trips planned to Varanasi, Haridwar, Ayodhya, temple towns across South India, and more such destinations.

According to digital travel platform Agoda, faith and tradition remain strong influences for Indians to pack their bags and take a trip.

Its 2026 Travel Outlook Report reveals that Indian travellers are the most likely in Asia to plan spiritually motivated journeys this year. The findings are based on a survey of 3,353 respondents across nine Asian markets: India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam.

According to the report, nearly one in five Indian travellers (19%) is expected to take a spiritual trip in 2026 - the highest proportion among all markets surveyed.

Indonesia, Malaysia, Japan, and Thailand follow as the next most spiritually inclined travel markets.

Also Read: This South Indian City Is India's Fastest-Growing Destination For International Travellers, As Per Report

Tourism Rises During Spiritual Events And Festivals

The trend becomes even more visible during major religious events and festivals, which drive significant increases in travel interest.

In 2025, Prayagraj saw a remarkable 233% surge in searches during the return of the Maha Kumbh Mela, reports Agoda.

Around Holi 2026, destinations known for temple rituals and festive celebrations recorded similar jumps. Pushkar witnessed a 195% rise in accommodation searches, while Vrindavan and Mathura followed with increases of 126% and 109% respectively.

Spiritual Destinations And Digital Information

The report highlights a growing opportunity for traditional and spiritual destinations to enhance how they engage with travellers through digital tools. Improving access to real-time information - such as opening hours, ticket availability, and visitor guidelines - could make trip-planning smoother, especially for international tourists. Greater digitisation across platforms can also streamline bookings and help spiritual destinations become more discoverable.

Details On Agoda Travel Data

Maha Kumbh: Searches for stays between 13 January and 26 February 2025 were compared with the same period in 2024, based on domestic accommodation searches made on Agoda in December of the previous year.

Holi: Data is based on accommodation searches made between 28 December 2025 and 28 January 2026 for check-ins from 28 February to 4 March 2026. This is compared with the previous Holi period, calculated from searches between 12 December 2024 and 12 January 2025 for stays between 12 and 16 March 2025.