As 2024 wraps up, OYO revealed its Travelopedia 2024—an annual report that delves into travel patterns and trends. The report provides insights from OYO’s vast global booking data, showcasing key travel destinations and user behaviors across India, the USA, the UK, Europe, and Indonesia, said an OYO release.
Key findings include Puri, Varanasi and Haridwar emerging as the most travelled spiritual destinations while Hyderabad emerging as India’s top-booked city, a rise in longer stays and spontaneous trips globally, a continued strong demand for both business and leisure travel, and a growing preference for exploring off-the-beaten-path destinations like smaller towns and less-explored spiritual sites.
In India, religious tourism continued to be a key focus, with Puri, Varanasi, and Haridwar dominating the pilgrimage sector. However, a significant trend emerged with Deoghar, Palani, and Govardhan experiencing substantial growth, indicating a shift towards less explored spiritual destinations. This reflects a growing interest in authentic and meaningful spiritual experiences, aligning with the broader rise in experiential travel.
Hyderabad emerged as the most-booked city in 2024, overtaking other major cities. Hyderabad’s rise is attributed to its growing reputation as a tech and business hub, along with a vibrant culture and culinary scene. Following Hyderabad, cities like Bengaluru, Delhi, and Kolkata rounded out the top spots for bookings, with Uttar Pradesh maintaining its position as the most popular state for travel. This is further reflected in the high volume of bookings from Maharashtra, Telangana, and Karnataka, which continue to be dominant contributors. Smaller towns like Patna, Rajahmundry, and Hubli have shown tremendous growth, with bookings increasing by as much as 48 percent year-on-year. The trend towards exploring less crowded destinations is evident, as people seek quieter retreats away from major urban centres.
The year also saw a surge in leisure travel, with Jaipur continuing to be a top tourist magnet, followed by perennial favorites Goa, Pondicherry, and Mysore. Interestingly, Mumbai saw a drop in bookings, with travelers preferring nearby locations for leisure. The long weekends of June 14- June 16, coinciding with Eid ul-Adha emerged as the most popular travel window, accounting for a significant percentage of bookings during the period.
When it came to business travel, Hyderabad again took the top spot, followed by Bengaluru and Delhi, signalling a rise in corporate travel as more people returned to work from offices. The rapid expansion of remote work culture in the early part of the decade, followed by a slow but steady return to office spaces, has also influenced travel behaviors in 2024. The month of May 2024 registered the highest number of bookings, with October following closely behind as business travel picked up during the end-of-year quarter.
Commenting on the global travel report, Shreerang Godbole, global chief service officer, OYO said, “2024 has marked a year of transformation in the global travel landscape. We’ve seen how travelers are embracing flexibility and adaptability, whether for business or leisure. As remote work trends continue to shape how people approach travel, the demand for both quick getaways and long stays has been a significant driver of bookings this year. With OYO’s enhanced features and growing tech capabilities, we’re committed to offering seamless, efficient, and personalised travel experiences for all.”
