October 14, 2025
NEW DELHI – In the run-up to the Diwali holidays, hospitality and travel services providers are witnessing a robust demand.
They registered strong bookings across urban and leisure destinations, with intercity bus services occupancy levels even touching 95-100 per cent.
GST reforms also acted as a key driver for mid-scale hotels and mid-market domestic customers. This makes it easier for travellers to explore lesser-known destinations, said Hotel Association of India (HAI) President K B Kachru, as reported by a news agency.
He further said early trends show higher hotel occupancy, reflecting the excitement of travellers celebrating festivals with family, friends, and leisure getaways.
“Booking patterns this season highlight travellers’ preference for convenience, flexibility, and curated experiences. Many hotels are reporting growing interest in premium and experiential stays, signalling a shift toward immersive travel that blends leisure, culture, and wellness,” he noted.
Co-founder & Group CEO of MakeMyTrip, Rajesh Magow, also highlighted that visiting friends and relatives (VFR) remains the biggest driver of festive season travel, as many Indians head back to their hometowns to celebrate Diwali.
He said, of the top 10 most booked destinations, five are metros: Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Chennai.
“This year, with the festival falling early in the week, many travellers are booking their trips as early as the preceding Friday to enjoy extended festivities,” Magow said.
For air travel, Air India Express and Akasa Air have launched their flash sale for Diwali 2024. The airlines are offering competitive, low-cost airfare to celebrate this year’s festive season.
Air India Express introduced its discount as a flash sale, with ticket prices starting at Rs 1,456 under its Lite Offer. The low-cost carrier is also offering tickets starting at Rs 1,606 under its Xpress Value Fares, according to the company’s website.
Akasa Air has also introduced a Diwali sale offer where customers are eligible to get upto 15 per cent off on the base fare for flight bookings.