Domestic medical travel has emerged as a significant economic driver in India, with a recent government survey revealing that health-related needs compel millions of Indians to travel within the country, often incurring substantial costs. The Domestic Tourism Expenditure Survey (DTES) 2025-26 indicates that health and medical purposes now account for a considerable portion of overnight trips, making it one of the leading reasons for internal mobility.
Health Needs Propel Domestic Travel
According to the DTES 2025-26, conducted by the National Statistics Office (NSO) under the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI), health and medical trips constituted 30% of all overnight journeys undertaken for selected purposes over the past year. This places medical travel as the second-largest category, only surpassed by pilgrimage and religious activities, which accounted for 48% of such trips.
The trend is particularly pronounced in rural India, where 38.4% of overnight trips were for health and medical reasons. In contrast, urban areas showed a higher share for holidaying, leisure, and recreation at 36.4%, though medical travel remained a critical factor for urban mobility as well. These figures underscore the vital role of healthcare access in driving inter-city and inter-state movement, especially among rural populations seeking specialized treatment or better medical facilities.
Medical Trips Lead in Expenditure
The survey also highlighted the considerable financial outlay associated with seeking healthcare away from home. Domestic medical travel recorded the highest average expenditure among all major categories of overnight trips. Urban households spent an average of ₹41,649 per trip for health and medical purposes, while rural households incurred an average of ₹29,454 per trip.
This expenditure significantly surpasses costs associated with other forms of domestic travel, encompassing both package and non-package components. The disparity in spending between rural and urban households likely reflects variations in healthcare costs, accommodation, transportation, and other ancillary expenses encountered during medical journeys.
Regional Destinations and Travel Logistics
Uttar Pradesh led the states in overall visitor-trips, accounting for 15.7% of the total, followed by Tamil Nadu at 13.4%, and Rajasthan at 8%. It's important to note that these figures represent overall visitor-trips and do not exclusively indicate travel for medical purposes, but rather highlight their prominence in the broader domestic travel landscape.
Transportation patterns also varied significantly between rural and urban travelers. Buses were the primary mode of transport for 32% of visitor-trips among rural households, while trains were preferred by urban households, accounting for 35% of their journeys. Accommodation choices also differed: urban visitors largely opted for hotels and guesthouses (36%), whereas rural travelers frequently utilized other non-commercial options, such as second homes or free accommodation provided by religious or missionary organizations (28%).
Understanding India's Evolving Tourism Landscape
The comprehensive DTES 2025-26, which surveyed 24,778 First Stage Units and collected data from 2,46,113 households across India, provides crucial insights into the evolving dynamics of India's tourism economy. It demonstrates that beyond leisure and religious pilgrimage, the pursuit of health and medical care is a powerful catalyst for domestic travel, generating substantial economic activity and highlighting the ongoing mobility of citizens to access essential services.