OYO to add 500 hotels in Ayodhya, Puri, other religious centres as spiritual tourism speeds up

This move comes in response to the surging demand for quality accommodation following the inauguration of the Ram Temple last year

Hospitality technology company OYO will add 500 hotels at major religious centers across India  amid increasing interest for spiritual tourism in the country, the company announced on January 22.

The expansion will focus on popular pilgrimage destinations such as Ayodhya, Varanasi, Prayagraj, Puri, Haridwar, Mathura, Vrindavan, Amritsar, Ujjain, Ajmer, Nasik, and Tirupati.

The company plans to add over 150 hotels in Ayodhya, making it the focal point of the expansion since the demand for quality accommodation is growing after the opening of Ram Temple last year, the firm said.

This move comes in response to the surging demand for quality accommodation following the inauguration of the Ram Temple last year. Ayodhya gained significant traction as the most searched religious destination for New Year holidays this year, with searches on the OYO app recording a 39 percent year-on-year growth.

"I began with just three hotels in Ayodhya last year, and I am now planning to add 10 more in 2025. The steady increase in tourists visiting the city, coupled with the government's focused efforts on improving the infrastructure, gives me immense confidence to scale up my expansion plans," said Vijay Kumar Singh, Owner, Shri Balaji Hospitality.

The company will expand its presence in other prominent pilgrimage destinations, starting with 100 hotels in Varanasi, followed by 50 hotels each in Prayagraj, Haridwar and Puri.

The booking requests for the Maha Kumbh period are already twice the available inventory of OYO in Prayagraj. The remaining properties will be strategically launched across other key religious destinations.

Most of these hotels will be introduced under the ‘company serviced’ category indicating OYO’s active involvement in the operations of these hotels to ensure superior guest experience, the company added.

The initiative is also in line with the insights from OYO Travelopedia 2024, which underscores the rising popularity of spiritual tourism, with Puri, Varanasi, and Haridwar emerging as the top destinations for travelers seeking spiritual experiences.

“We are collaborating with the tourism departments of all major states to better understand their specific needs and priorities. Our focus is on launching strategically located hotels, particularly in key religious centers, to cater to the growing demand for high-quality accommodations among pilgrims and visitors. We are also actively monitoring emerging trends in religious tourism, including shifts in visitor preferences, seasonal travel patterns, and the growing popularity of lesser-known pilgrimage destinations," Varun Jain, chief operating officer, OYO India, said.