India's Travel Boom Soars in 2025: Pilgrimages & Tier-2 Cities Lead Growth, Says Paytm

• India's travel demand diversified in 2025, driven by spiritual journeys, festival travel, entertainment tourism, and tier-2 cities, according to Paytm.
• Spiritual tourism surged, with Kumbh Mela bookings to Prayagraj tripling; searches for Ayodhya, Varanasi, Tirupati rose 34%.
• Tier-2 cities like Indore, Lucknow, Patna, Surat, Kochi saw significant inbound traffic, indicating wider travel aspirations.
• Entertainment tourism, especially concerts in Mumbai and Bengaluru, and festival-linked travel (Chhath Puja to Patna up 25%) also fueled growth.
• Paytm launched "Paytm Checkin," an AI-powered travel app offering personalized recommendations, zero convenience fees, and a Travel Pass.

Why It Matters: Paytm reports India's 2025 travel boom is fueled by spiritual journeys, tier-2 cities, and new tech like Paytm Checkin.