A recent survey by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) has cast a spotlight on the landscape of domestic tourism in India, revealing that nearly one in two overnight trips is undertaken for pilgrimage or religious purposes. Accounting for a significant 48% of all domestic overnight travel during the year concluded in June 2026, religious journeys stand as the primary driver for internal tourism.
Key Findings from the MoSPI Survey
The Domestic Tourism Expenditure Survey, conducted by the National Statistical Office (NSO) as part of the NSS 80th round between July 2025 and June 2026, offers comprehensive data on overnight and same-day travel across the nation. Beyond the dominance of pilgrimage, the survey highlighted other crucial aspects of Indian travel habits. The average domestic overnight trip involved 2.03 visitors, with approximately 80% of travelers completing their stays within five days or less, indicating a preference for shorter excursions.
Purpose of Travel
While pilgrimage led overall, travel motivations varied significantly between rural and urban populations. In rural areas, health and medical reasons constituted the second-largest category for overnight trips, making up 38.4% of such journeys. Conversely, urban dwellers prioritized holidaying, leisure, and recreation, which accounted for 36.4% of their overnight trips, ranking second after religious travel.
Top Destinations and Transport
Uttar Pradesh emerged as the leading state for visitor-trips, capturing 15.7% of the total, considering both intra-state and inter-state travel. Tamil Nadu followed with 13.4%, and Rajasthan secured 8%. Regarding transportation, rural households predominantly relied on buses for 32% of their visitor-trips. Urban households, however, favored trains, which accounted for 35% of their overnight travel, making it the most utilized mode.
Accommodation Choices
Accommodation preferences also showed a clear rural-urban divide. Urban overnight visitors frequently opted for hotels and guesthouses, which represented 36% of their stays. In contrast, rural areas saw non-commercial accommodation as the largest share at 28%. This category encompasses stays at second homes, employer-provided temporary lodging, or free accommodation offered by religious or missionary organizations.
Expenditure Insights
Despite pilgrimage generating the highest volume of trips, health and medical travel recorded the highest average expenditure. Rural households spent an average of ₹29,454 per health and medical trip, while urban households spent even more, averaging ₹41,649. Among trips completed within the last 30 days, social visits were the most frequent (89%), but business trips commanded the highest average expenditure, at ₹5,179 for rural and ₹6,934 for urban households. For same-day travel, shopping emerged as the highest expenditure category, accounting for 51% in rural areas and 41% in urban areas.
The extensive survey, which covered 2,46,113 households across 24,778 sampling units, provides a detailed snapshot of the diverse motivations, patterns, and economic impacts of domestic tourism across India, highlighting the profound cultural and social significance of religious travel within the country.