Indians turn to spiritual travel: Allahabad, Varanasi searches soar 200%

Are you planning a spiritual getaway? You're not the only one. Searches for accommodation in India’s spiritual cities have seen a sharp rise in early 2025, according to digital travel platform Agoda.

 

Between January and March this year, both domestic and international travellers showed increased interest in cities known for their religious and cultural significance — with Allahabad, Ayodhya, Varanasi, and Rishikesh among the top gainers.

 

Allahabad, which didn’t make it to Agoda’s top 50 list for domestic travel in early 2024, jumped to number 11 this year. For international travellers, it now ranks 15th. The surge in interest comes as the Mahakumbh Mela returns after 12 years.

 

Accommodation searches for Allahabad grew by 233% in the first quarter of 2025 compared to the same period last year, according to Agoda’s internal data.

 

“This interest in India's spiritual destinations indicates a growing trend in how people travel, with more travellers looking for cultural connection and personal meaning,” said Gaurav Malik, country director, India Subcontinent at Agoda.

 

Ayodhya, Rishikesh, Vrindavan also attract more domestic tourists

 

Several other spiritual sites gained in popularity among Indian travellers:

 

Ayodhya moved up 11 places to rank 25  

Rishikesh rose 9 spots to number 19  

Manali gained 9 positions to reach number 21  

Vrindavan climbed 8 places to number 24  

 

Varanasi and Amritsar rise in popularity among foreign visitors

 

Among international travellers using Agoda, Varanasi saw a jump of 9 places, reaching number 6 in the rankings. Other cities that moved up include:

 

Amritsar, now at number 14 (up 8 spots)  

Agra, at number 12 (up 7 spots)  

Coimbatore, at number 22 (up 7 spots)  

 

The data is based on Agoda’s comparison of accommodation searches from January to March 2025 versus the same period in 2024.

 

With the Chardham and Amarnath Yatras coming up, more travellers are expected to explore India’s religious circuits in the months ahead.