Gulaal & Getaways: From Vrindavan’s 'Phoolon ki Holi' to Pushkar Lake, festival fuels 70% travel surge

Holi celebrations

• Holi travel demand surges, with flight bookings up 70 percent
• Jaipur, Udaipur, and Vrindavan top Holi travel destinations
• Advance bus bookings by women rise nearly 80 percent

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Holi is no longer just a day of festivities, the festival of colour is fast emerging as yet another occasion for immersive, experiential travel, sparking a surge in demand for air, road, and hospitality sectors.

Travel platforms are seeing a 70 percent surge in demand for flight bookings from the previous year for the Holi week. Jaipur, Udaipur and Vrindavan, known for their Holi celebrations, have emerged as the top destinations.

With Holi falling mid-week, on March 4, travellers have turned the single-day celebration into multi-day cultural and leisure journey, Karan Agarwal, Director at Cox & Kings, said.

"We are seeing strong momentum for India’s heritage destinations, particularly Jaipur, Udaipur, Vrindavan and Pushkar,” he said.

Co-founder and Group CEO of Ixigo Aloke Bajpai said travellers aren’t just celebrating for a day this year, they are building a full travel experience around it.

“What we’re seeing is two distinct trends: a rush back to hometowns across tier 2 and 3 India, and a parallel surge in leisure getaways to destinations such as Udaipur, Srinagar and Goa,” Bajpai said.

Heritage cities see surge in interest

Accommodation search data from travel platform Agoda shows travellers are choosing destinations where Holi traditions are deeply rooted.

Jaipur recorded a 282 percent rise in accommodation searches for the Holi week compared to the previous year, driven by palace-led celebrations and heritage experiences around landmarks such as Amer Fort.

Udaipur followed with a 233 percent increase in travel interest, as visitors look to celebrate Holi lakeside and curated events hosted by heritage hotels around Lake Pichola.

Pushkar saw a 195 percent rise in searches, with travellers drawn to vibrant street celebrations around the Pushkar Lake and its 52 bathing ghats.

Temple towns are seeing strong traction as well. Vrindavan, famous for its flower celebrations in temple courtyards, recorded a 126 percent increase in travel interest, while Mathura saw a 109 percent rise as travellers seek to celebrate the festival in the birthplace of Lord Krishn.

Southern destinations are also benefiting from the trend. Hampi registered a 128 percent increase in searches, where Holi celebrations unfold amid UNESCO-listed ruins and temple squares, attracting culture-focused travellers.

Shanti Niketan in West Bengal, known for its Basant Utsav, a distinctive cultural interpretation of Holi centred around music and art, registered a 43 percent increase in travel interest.

These destinations have collectively seen a 211 percent rise in travel interest, Agoda data shows.

“Holi has evolved into a key travel moment for both domestic and international visitors,” said Gaurav Malik, Country Director for the Indian Subcontinent and Indian Ocean Islands at Agoda.

“India’s cultural festivities continue to strengthen the country’s global appeal, drawing travellers to plan their trips around distinctive local experiences.”

Flights and buses see festive demand

Ixigo reported around 75 percent rise in flight bookings for the Hoi week. Its bus arm AbhiBus saw over 70 percent growth in advance bookings, reflecting strong intercity travel demand.

Tier 2 and 3 cities are emerging as major drivers of festive travel, as people head home to celebrate with family.

Gorakhpur leads with a 94 percent rise in flight bookings, followed by Bhopal (89 percent), Kanpur (86 percent), Darbhanga (76 percent) and Varanasi (72 percent). Lucknow, Ranchi and Patna also recorded strong growth in flight bookings.

Leisure destinations also saw robust demand. Udaipur led holiday travel bookings with a 94 percent rise, followed by Dehradun (90 percent), Srinagar (85 percent), Goa (81 percent), Jaipur (73 percent) and Darjeeling (65 percent).

Among metro cities, Ahmedabad recorded the highest growth in Holi-week flight bookings at 118 percent, followed by Hyderabad (108 percent) and Chennai (101 percent). Kolkata saw an 89 percent increase, while New Delhi and Pune recorded 80 percent growth. Bengaluru registered a 77 percent YoY uptick and Mumbai 54 percent.

Road travel

The surge has also spilled over into road travel. According to AbhiBus data, major routes such as Delhi–Lucknow and Delhi–Varanasi saw over 60 percent growth, while Mumbai–Pune and Mumbai–Nagpur saw a 75 percent YoY uptick. Hyderabad–Vijayawada and Hyderabad–Bengaluru witnessed a 70 percent YoY rise in advance bus bookings, and the Bengaluru–Chennai corridor registered a 65 percent increase.

Women travellers are playing an increasingly important role in this surge. Advance bus bookings by women passengers rose nearly 80, accounting for about 40 percent of total seats booked so far, the company said.

The festival of colours is rapidly evolving as one of the country’s most significant seasonal travel drivers.