NSO survey: 48 in 100 overnight trips in India for pilgrimage, religious purpose
Synopsis
Nearly half of all overnight trips taken by Indians are for pilgrimage and religious purposes, the NSO's latest Domestic Tourism Expenditure Survey reveals — putting faith-driven travel well ahead of leisure and business. With Uttar Pradesh drawing the largest share of domestic visitors, the data underlines how religion and spirituality continue to anchor India's internal travel economy.
Key Takeaways
48 out of 100 overnight trips in India are for pilgrimage and religious purposes, per the NSO's DTES covering July 2025 to June 2026 .
Health and medical travel is the second-biggest driver of overnight trips at 30 per cent .
Business trips recorded the highest per-trip expenditure at ₹5,949 among overnight trips in the last 30 days.
Uttar Pradesh leads as the top domestic destination with a 15.5 per cent share of visitor-trips, followed by Bihar (10.5%) and Tamil Nadu (9.6%).
Rural overnight trips rose to 127 per 100 tourist households from 118 in 2014-15; urban trips rose to 132 from 121 .
May and October are peak months for leisure and holiday travel across India.
Nearly 48 out of every 100 overnight trips taken by Indians are for pilgrimage and religious purposes, according to the Domestic Tourism Expenditure Survey (DTES) released on Wednesday, 23 September 2026 by the National Statistics Office (NSO). The survey, conducted from July 2025 to June 2026, provides the most comprehensive snapshot of domestic travel behaviour in India in over a decade.
Key Findings on Overnight Trips
Pilgrimage and religious travel dominated overnight trips at 48 per cent, trailed by health and medical journeys at 30 per cent, based on trips completed during the last 365 days. Among trips taken during the last 30 days, an overwhelming 89 out of 100 overnight trips were undertaken for 'social' purposes.
Business trips recorded the highest average expenditure per overnight trip at ₹5,949 per household during the last 30 days — underscoring the economic weight of corporate travel even as pilgrimage dominates in volume. The average trip size stood at 2.03 overnight visitors per trip, and roughly 80 per cent of visitors preferred stays of 5 days or less.
Rise in Tourist Households Since 2014-15
The survey recorded a clear uptick in travel frequency compared to the previous benchmark. Overnight trips per 100 rural tourist households rose to 127, up from 118 in 2014-15. Among urban tourist households, the figure climbed to 132, against 121 a decade ago.
Same-day trips also showed growth: 65.1 per cent of rural households undertook at least one same-day trip in the last 30 days, compared to 57.1 per cent in 2014-15. Urban households showed a similar trend, rising from 40.6 per cent to 46.2 per cent. 'Social' (33 per cent) and 'Shopping' (26 per cent) were the top same-day trip purposes, with shopping accounting for the highest expenditure share across both rural and urban segments.
Top Destinations and Peak Travel Months
Uttar Pradesh emerged as the most visited state, capturing a 15.5 per cent share of visitor-trips as the primary destination — a figure that reflects the enduring pull of major religious and heritage sites such as Varanasi, Prayagraj, and Ayodhya. Bihar followed at 10.5 per cent and Tamil Nadu at 9.6 per cent.
For holidaying, leisure, and recreation, May and October were identified as peak months — patterns consistent with school vacation cycles and the post-monsoon festive season respectively.
How Indians Travel: Mode of Transport
A rural-urban divide was evident in travel preferences. Bus remained the dominant mode for rural households, accounting for 32 per cent of visitor-trips, while urban travellers preferred train at 35 per cent. This divide has implications for transport infrastructure planning and the rollout of new rail and road connectivity schemes in pilgrimage corridors.
With domestic travel volumes rising across both rural and urban India, the DTES data is expected to inform tourism and transport policy in the years ahead.
Point of View
Prayagraj, and Ayodhya over the past several years; the survey validates that public spending on pilgrimage corridors generates measurable travel flows. What the data also reveals, less comfortably, is that leisure and recreational travel remain a smaller fraction of the domestic tourism economy, suggesting that middle-India still has limited disposable income for purely discretionary holidays. The business-travel paradox — high expenditure per trip, low share of total trips — points to an under-tapped corporate travel market that hospitality players have consistently overestimated.
NationPress
23 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Domestic Tourism Expenditure Survey (DTES)?
The DTES is a large-scale survey conducted by the National Statistics Office (NSO) to measure domestic travel patterns and tourism spending across Indian households. The latest edition covered the period from July 2025 to June 2026.
What is the most common purpose for overnight trips in India?
Pilgrimage and religious travel is the most common purpose, accounting for 48 out of every 100 overnight trips, according to the NSO survey. Health and medical travel is the second most frequent reason at 30 per cent.
Which state receives the most domestic tourists in India?
Uttar Pradesh received the highest share of domestic visitor-trips at 15.5 per cent, followed by Bihar at 10.5 per cent and Tamil Nadu at 9.6 per cent, combining visitors from within the state and from other states.
How has domestic travel changed since 2014-15?
Travel frequency has risen in both rural and urban India. Overnight trips per 100 rural tourist households increased from 118 in 2014-15 to 127, while urban tourist households saw a rise from 121 to 132. Same-day trip participation has also grown across both segments.
When do most Indians travel for holidays and leisure?
May and October are the peak months for domestic overnight trips taken for holidaying, leisure, and recreation, aligning with school vacation periods and the post-monsoon festive season respectively.
