Early bookings, bundled packages, higher demand from Tier 2 Towns Mark Festival Travel Surge

The increase is fed by a popularity for bundled deals, while the demand from Tier 2 Cities is also growing faster | Photocredit: –

Early bookings, experienced trips, cultural outings and bundled packages are the most important trends in this year’s travel. Data from online travel companies indicate a strong travel question, with bookings that considerably surpass in previous years.

The increase is fed by a popularity for bundled deals, while the demand from Tier 2 cities is also growing faster.

Rikk Pittie, CEO and co-founder, Easemytrip, said line That this year the company has seen around 30-35 percent in festival travel bookings, both in terms of domestic and international journeys.

He added that from the bookings there are about 50 percent young travelers who want to explore local culture and stay a shift to a long distance.

Hari Ganapathy, co-founder, Pickyourtrail, believes that customers are now giving priority to early bookings and looking for more trips guided through experience. “Travelers plan 2-4 months in advance with a clear preference for premium, multi-city routes and special adjustments instead of last-minute deals,” he added.

Uptik in Tares

According to Pickyourtrail, the bookings have risen by 15-20 percent this year, mainly fed by festivals, weddings and winter holidays. Early bookings, says Ganapathy, rose by 8 percent, indicating that customers give priority to certainty above waiting for discounts.

Pittie noted that higher occupations encourage travelers to secure bookings in advance. The increased demand has also caused an increase in airline tickets.

Aloke Bajpai, Group CEO, IXIGO, said that prior air rates for large subways have risen by 20-25 percent compared to last year. According to data shared by IXIGO, the Mumbai-Patna route saw the highest increase in the air rate by 52 percent, while Bengaluru-Luckknow and Mumbai-Kolkata followed with 27 percent each.

Trainbooks for popular routes also gone with 18-25 percent, Ixigo added.

Beyond Metros

The appetite of travel is particularly high in Tier 2 and smaller cities. Ganapathy says that although subways remain the biggest contributors, Pickyourtrail bookings from Tier 2 cities such as Coimbatore, Kochi and Jaipur grows faster, with a faster pace, with almost 10 percent higher JoJ growth.

Following this, Pittie says that the growth of metro cities has been moderated, while emerging cities such as Asluckknow, Indore, Bhopal see more sharper in bookings.

OTAs also see traction for package offers that travel, stay and bundle activities. Puttur says that the bookings of the package have risen by more than 80 percent in the past quarters. Ganapathy says that packages remove friction from coordinating multiple bookings, ensuring an end-to-end experience.

Published on September 15, 2025