Slow travel is taking off in India; Kashmir, Ladakh see sharp increase in multi-day trips

Slow travel is taking off in India; Kashmir, Ladakh see sharp increase in multi-day trips

• Indian travelers now favor longer stays at fewer destinations over rushed tours.
• Adventure and off-season trips surged among Gen Z and young professionals.
• Custom itineraries and wellness travel rose, with Kerala, Ladakh, Rajasthan popular

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India’s holiday style is quietly shifting. Instead of rushing through three cities in five days, travellers are choosing to slow down—spending more time in one destination and soaking it in.

This change is showing up clearly on the map, with places like Kashmir recording a 35 percent jump and Ladakh a 31 percent rise in multi-day travel, according to AI-powered travel operator Thrillophilia.

Domestic destinations continued to anchor multi-day leisure travel last year. Kerala and

Rajasthan remained consistent favourites with 19 percent and 17 percent increase in multi-day trips.

One of the most consistent patterns observed in 2025 was a shift in trip design. Single-base itineraries with day journeys increased 36 percent year-on-year, while multi-city tours involving four or more stops declined 24 percent. Travellers increasingly favoured longer stays per destination, realistic daily schedules and built-in downtime.

The platform recorded a 21 percent rise in slower, better-paced itineraries, while over-packed schedules declined 17 percent. Medium-length trips of 6–9 nights grew 19 percent, most preferred format across families, couples and wellness travellers.

Gen Z and young professionals showed the sharpest behavioural change. Multiple trips per year increased 51 percent, while short breaks of 4–6 nights grew 43 percent.

Adventure-led itineraries rose 58 percent, and off-season travel increased 39 percent, driven by flexible work arrangements and experience-first preferences. Destinations such as Meghalaya, Himachal Pradesh and Vietnam resonated strongly with this cohort.

Families emerged as the most stable and fast-growing segment. Custom family itineraries grew 21 percent, comfort-first trips increased 19 percent, and rushed multi-city formats declined 18 percent. Advance planning rose 16 percent, with families consistently favouring destinations such as Rajasthan, Kerala, North East India and Ladakh.

Couples moved away from templated honeymoon packages. Custom honeymoon itineraries increased 47 percent, privacy-led stays rose 42 percent, and shorter 'minimoons' of 5–7 nights grew 29 percent.

“Last year Indian travellers stopped asking how many places they could cover and started asking how well a trip would run. Across families, Gen Z, honeymooners and luxury travellers alike, we saw a clear preference for fewer destinations, slower pacing and customised itineraries," said Abhishek Daga, Co-Founder, Thrillophilia.

Luxury travel last year was defined less by extravagance and more by precision. Custom luxury itineraries grew 26 percent, while trips with fewer destinations increased 28 percent. Wellness-led multi-day travel rose 24 percent, with Kerala, Ladakh and Rajasthan leading domestically, and Japan, Kenya, Italy showing growth internationally.

Customisation also became mainstream. Custom and semi-custom trips grew 18 percent and 16 percent respectively, while large group tours declined 21 percent, indicating a clear move away from fixed-format travel.