Pilgrimage Tourism Is Powering India’s New Travel Boom -And AI + Social Media Are Rewriting the Playbook
Pilgrimage and spiritual tourism is one of India’s fastest-growing travel segments. A new MakeMyTrip analysis reports a 19% YoY rise in accommodation bookings across 56 pilgrimage destinations in FY25, with growth spreading beyond legacy hubs (Varanasi, Tirupati) to newer circuits like Khatushyam Ji, Omkareshwar, and Thiruchendur. The same coverage highlights double-digit growth in 34 destinations and >25% growth in 15 destinations, alongside a visible shift toward premium stays even as budget options (sub-₹4,500) anchor the volume.
At the same time, AI is moving from “nice-to-have” to infrastructure for discovery, planning, and disruption management, while social platforms (Instagram, YouTube; globally, TikTok) are now direct conversion surfaces for trips - not just inspiration. Industry research shows social media is one of the most influential online sources for trip planning, with a majority of users who plan via social making a specific travel decision after viewing content.
Below, we unpack what’s driving the surge, how supply is responding, and what the next 2–3 years look like when culture, tech, and digital storytelling converge.
Demand: Why pilgrimage travel is surging now
Year-round intent and broader destination set. Unlike seasonal leisure spikes, pilgrimage demand is structurally all-year (“there’s no season for it”), helping smooth occupancy and revenue cycles. Newer spiritual circuits - Khatushyam Ji (Rajasthan), Omkareshwar (Madhya Pradesh), Thiruchendur (Tamil Nadu) - are joining the usual leaders, lifting the long tail.
Post-pandemic preference shift toward meaning. India’s spiritual travel share within domestic tourism has climbed markedly post-Covid, reflecting a pivot from pure sightseeing to identity- and community-driven journeys. KPMG notes spiritual tourism now accounts for a significant share of domestic travel activity.
Policy and infrastructure tailwinds. The Government of India’s PRASHAD scheme (Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual, Heritage Augmentation Drive) continues to fund destination upgrades - roads, amenities, riverfronts, ropeways - expanding carrying capacity and improving the visitor experience.
Events as accelerants. Mega events (e.g., Kumbh) and temple-linked festivals concentrate demand and content creation cycles, which then spill over into year-round interest. (Recent reporting also shows local projects - e.g., Srikalahasti—being positioned as spiritual hubs with multi-crore infrastructure plans.)
Supply: How the market is meeting demand
Volume growth with price stratification. MakeMyTrip’s pilgrimage trends show 19% growth in FY25 bookings across 56 destinations. While budget inventory still drives the bulk of bookings (often sub-₹4,500), there’s an unmistakable rise in premium-room demand in pilgrimage markets.
Curated, pilgrim-friendly stays. Platforms are launching themed collections to raise trust and reduce friction. MakeMyTrip’s “Loved by Devotees” curates 450+ hotels/homestays across 26 spiritual destinations, addressing elder-friendly access, vegetarian food, proximity to temples, and early check-ins aligned to darshan timings. Internally reported data ties this to a ~46% surge in searches for religious destinations (2024 vs 2022) and >10% of room-night mix in Q3 FY25.
Healthy industry backdrop. The sector’s robustness shows up in operator results: MakeMyTrip reported record gross booking value of $9.8B in FY2025, with hotels propelling its best-ever quarters - a macro signal that the accommodation ecosystem (including pilgrimage towns) is expanding.
Social media: From inspiration to instant conversion
From feed to ticket in one swipe. Skift’s 2025 analysis shows social platforms have evolved from moodboards to shoppable media - reels and shorts link directly to stays and experiences, compressing the funnel. Phocuswright’s update quantifies it: among travelers who use social for planning, 62% make a specific decision after viewing content (e.g., book a hotel, choose a destination).
Pilgrimage content = community content. Ritual explainers, “first-time darshan” guides, and crowd/queue hacks travel well in short-video formats, building trust - especially for multi-generational family trips where authenticity matters.
India nuance. While Instagram and YouTube dominate domestically, global trends around TikTok-native travel planning still inform format choices and creator strategies for inbound and diaspora audiences.
AI: Your co-traveler for discovery, planning, and disruption
AI is moving into the critical path. Research from McKinsey (with Skift) highlights concrete value pools: AI trip planning, proactive re-accommodation during disruptions, personalized, context-aware communications, and ops optimization—with companies realizing 15–25% earnings uplift when they address digital/analytics holistically.
Pilgrimage-specific use cases.
Darshan-aligned itineraries: AI that understands temple schedules, aarti times, and crowd patterns to sequence visits and rest stops for elders.
Real-time crowd & route optimization: Suggesting alternative gates, parking, and shuttle timings during peak hours or festival days.
Contextual concierge: Translation for local rituals, dietary filters (satvik/veg-only), and wheelchair-friendly navigation.
Conversational booking: Indian OTAs are rolling out GenAI trip assistants that turn natural-language queries into multi-modal itineraries and bookings.
What the next 24–36 months look like
End-to-end “content → cart” journeys. Short videos and creator posts will increasingly carry live availability and pricing via deep links and affiliate rails. Expect creators to bundle micro-itineraries (darshan + local thali + aarti vantage point) that convert inside the app where you watch them.
Premiumization in sacred markets. As multi-gen families seek comfort and safety for elders, mid-scale and premium inventory in temple towns will keep rising—without cannibalizing budget stays that anchor volumes. (The FY25 spike in premium demand is an early tell.)
Operational digital twins for peak management. Cities and temple trusts will pilot AI “control rooms” that simulate crowd flows (festival vs. weekday), guide bus parking, and coordinate amenities in real time - especially where PRASHAD-funded infrastructure expands capacity.
Trust tech for elder & group travel. Verified host badges (ramps, lift access, proximity to mandir), refundable slots around aarti times, and group-centric booking (multi-room, seating together on trains/buses) will be default features as platforms chase the pilgrim family wallet.
Event-led spikes normalized by AI. For mega-events (e.g., Kumbh), AI will smooth spikes by shaping demand (staggered slots, guided dispersal) and protecting experiences (heat advisories, first-aid routing) - raising satisfaction without suppressing footfall.
What travel brands should do now
Design for the elder first. Bake in lift/ramps, wheelchair paths, ground-floor room preferences, and temple-hour aligned check-ins. Turn these into filterable attributes in your listings.
Treat social as your front desk. Build creator-grade content (60–90s reels) that answer very specific questions: queue length, footwear storage, prasad rules, best aarti spot. Add deep links to pre-built carts.
Ship a pilgrimage “copilot.” Use GenAI chat to auto-assemble darshan-first itineraries, handle re-planning when aarti times change, and keep family groups in sync.
Expand tiered inventory. Keep sub-₹4,500 stock healthy while adding premium options (quiet floors, elder-friendly rooms) to capture the upmarket shift.
Plug into PRASHAD cities. Track tenders and upgrades; get first-mover advantage where capacity is being built (ropeways, riverfronts).
References & further reading
MakeMyTrip Pilgrimage Travel Trends (FY25): 19% growth across 56 destinations; 34 with double-digit growth; 15 with >25% growth. Coverage via Economic Times and Times of India.
Premium demand rising; group/short-stay/last-minute trends in pilgrimage markets.
Newer destinations entering the mainstream (Khatushyam Ji, Omkareshwar, Thiruchendur). Context and guides.
Spiritual tourism share and post-Covid domestic dynamics.
PRASHAD scheme overview and project data (Govt. of India / OGD).
Social media’s travel influence: Skift on planning/booking via social; Phocuswright on 62% of social-planning travelers making a specific decision after content exposure.
AI in travel: McKinsey + Skift report on AI value pools (15–25% earnings uplift); industry use-case overviews.
Category robustness in operator results: MakeMyTrip $9.8B GBV in FY2025; hotels driving record quarters.