ANCHOR : FESTIVE TRAVEL DEMAND EXPECTED TO SOAR AS INDIA GEARS UP FOR MAJOR CELEBRATIONS

• Khatushyam Ji (Rajasthan) and Omkareshwar (Madhya Pradesh) are emerging as new pilgrimage hotspots in festive season
• Booking behavior also reflects a clear festive shift: the lead time has expanded to 7–15 days, compared to just 1–3 days during non-festive months
• Domestic trips during this period average ₹3,000–₹7,000 per day, while short-haul international travel ranges between ₹25,000–₹35,000 for a week

TTT NEWS NETWORK

NEW DELHI | 11 SEPTEMBER 2025

Ebix Travel, India’s leading technology-driven travel ecosystem operating through Via.com (online) and Mercury Travels (offline), projects an unprecedented surge in Rail, Bus and air travel demand as the country enters its peak festive season. Early booking behavior, coupled with a cultural imperative to reunite with families, is driving multi-fold growth in both search volumes and confirmed reservations for Durga Puja and Diwali travel.

Commenting on the outlook, Ankur Sharma, Chief Business Officer, Via.com (Ebix Travel) said: “Festive travel in India is more than mobility—it is a cultural movement that connects families, traditions, and destinations. This year, travelers are planning smarter and earlier with booking lead times rising to 7–15 days. We are also witnessing a surge in digital-first adoption, with UPI emerging as the fastest-growing payment mode, reflecting how India’s travelers are embracing convenience alongside tradition. As the season unfolds, we remain committed to ensuring every journey is seamless, memorable, and reflective of India’s cultural spirit of togetherness”

Occupancy on premium intercity bus routes is expected to hit 95–100%, with fares rising 1.5 to 3X above baseline levels, underscoring strong demand elasticity. Tier 2 and Tier 3 corridors are emerging as the backbone of festive mobility, accounting for nearly 62% of total bookings as travelers head home for celebrations. Metro-to-hometown routes—such as Bengaluru to Andhra Pradesh and Telangana during Dussehra, and Delhi to Uttar Pradesh and Bihar for Diwali—are registering peak load factors. In Eastern India, Durga Puja traffic is centered around Kolkata’s outbound routes to Asansol, Durgapur, and Siliguri, reaffirming the cultural significance of regional travel.

In aviation, the festive season is reshaping traffic composition. Corporate travel share is set to decline to 15–20%, while family and leisure segments surge to 65–70% of total bookings, a significant change from non-festive periods. Pilgrimage and spiritual tourism account for an additional 10–12%, driven by India’s cultural traditions. Top domestic destinations include Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Lucknow, Patna, and Kolkata, while Dubai, Singapore, and Bangkok dominate outbound leisure demand, extending into the Christmas–New Year travel window.

Traditionally the backbone of long-distance travel in India, trains face a severe supply crunch during the festive season. With limited seat availability, millions of travelers are compelled to shift to buses and flights, triggering a cascading surge in demand and fares across these modes.

Ebix Travel data further highlights the demographic engine of festive travel, millennials (26–40 years) make up 40% of the base, with Gen Z (18–25 years) close behind at 28%. The gender mix skews 70% male and 30% female, while single travelers represent half of all bookings, followed by couples (30%) and groups (20%). On the payments front, UPI is witnessing explosive adoption, complementing traditional credit and debit card transactions and underscoring India’s leap toward digital-first travel spending.

The spending profile of Indian travelers is also evolving. Domestic trips during this period average ₹3,000–₹7,000 per day, while short-haul international travel ranges between ₹25,000–₹35,000 for a week. Newer destinations such as Vietnam, Georgia, and Japan are also gaining popularity among Indian outbound travelers.

Ebix Travel’s leadership during this high-demand cycle is powered by its deep integration ecosystem—direct connectivity with 70 GDS carriers, 8 leading low-cost airlines, and 20 NDC-enabled partners—along with a vast network spanning 4.6 lakh routes across 9,600 towns. Strategic alliances with premium operators such as NueGo, FLiXBUS, and IntrCitySmartBus further strengthen reliability and service differentiation through tech-enabled features like real-time tracking, Wi-Fi, and premium lounges. On the air travel front, curated festive fare packages and early-access deals ensure competitive pricing even during peak periods.

About Ebix Group:

Ebix is a global leader in software and e-commerce solutions, operating across six continents and serving industries such as insurance, financial services, travel, healthcare, and e-learning. Its expertise includes advanced insurance and reinsurance exchanges, SaaS-based CRM platforms, front- and back-end systems, outsourced administration, and risk and compliance solutions.

With a legacy dating back to 1976, founded as Delphi Information Systems; rebranded as Ebix in 2003, the Group today operates from more than 50 offices worldwide, including the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Latin America, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, the Far East, and India. In June 2024, Ebix entered a new era when it was acquired by EraayaLifespaces, a leading lifestyle and hospitality group.

Relocating its global headquarters from Atlanta to India, Ebix leverages India’s rich technology and talent base to drive innovation while combining global expertise with a strong India backbone. The Group operates across four key verticals in India: Ebix Payments, Ebix Technologies, Ebix Travel, and Ebix Next, serving millions of clients and consumers worldwide.