Republic Day Long Weekend: India's New Travel Boom, Shifting Trends

• The Republic Day long weekend is emerging as India's first major travel trigger of the year, signaling a significant shift in travel behavior.
• Younger travelers are increasingly using early-year holidays for short, experience-led trips, prioritizing long weekends as key travel occasions.
• Hotel occupancies are well above typical January levels (75-85%), with strong demand for mid-range, premium, boutique, and heritage properties.
• Domestic, experience-oriented weekend getaways between January 24-26 have seen a 25-30% rise in bookings, with some hotels reporting 40% higher weekend sales.
• Popular destinations include Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, Goa, Uttarakhand, Udaipur, and Jaipur, with travelers willing to absorb higher costs for quality breaks.

Why It Matters: Republic Day long weekend is now a major travel moment, driven by changing traveler behavior and demand for quality experiences.