With Ayodhya’s Ram Temple to be inaugurated on 22 January, 2024, OYO predicts that the city has the potential to become as popular as Vatican City and Mecca as a spiritual destination.
‘Spiritual tourism gaining popularity’
In the recent times, spiritual tourism is rapidly gaining momentum. And according to OYO’s year-end booking data, Puri secured the top spot as the most booked spiritual destination, with Amritsar, Varanasi, and Haridwar following suit. “Recognizing the significance of religious tourism in India, OYO is actively expanding its footprint across major religious corridors in the country, including Katra-Vaishno Devi and the Char Dham route.”
The company further predicts that Ayodhya is likely to gain a lot of popularity as a spiritual destination once the Ram Temple is inaugurated.
“Ayodhya is another such city which holds immense potential as a spiritual destination for tourism, especially with the upcoming opening of the Ram temple. We believe the tourism industry could see a tenfold increase in tourism by 2024, making Ayodhya a global spiritual centre akin to Vatican City and Mecca.”
Speaking about OYO’s plan to expand in Ayodhya, he said, “We plan to add 50 hotels and homes, totalling around 1000 rooms, before the grand opening of the Ram Mandir. These new properties will be strategically located near Ayodhya’s prominent landmarks, ensuring convenient access for visitors exploring the city’s iconic attractions.”
In line with the government’s vision, OYO focussed on promoting and expanding our footprint across key domestic destinations in 2024.
What are the top domestic destinations?
Speaking about the trends of 2024, OYO said, “In the domestic sector, there’s a focused interest in the leisure destinations. Top destinations include Goa, Rajasthan, Varanasi, Kerala, Manali, Ooty, Darjeeling, Coorg, Visakhapatnam, Pondicherry, Srinagar, Amritsar, Gangtok, and Rishikesh for the last week of December. There has been an increase in the number of room nights booked this year compared to last, despite the average 10% increase in fares, which is typical for this time of year.”
On the international hotels front, traditional favorites like Thailand, Dubai, Singapore, and Bali continue to attract travelers, while destinations such as Hong Kong, Vietnam, and Istanbul are emerging as new favorites. Notably, there’s a trend towards booking more premium accommodations and higher room categories.
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