Summer Travel Season & Evolving Consumer Travel Trends Across India

By: Nikhil Sharma, Managing Director & COO, South Asia, Radisson Hotel Group

Summer Travel Season & Evolving Consumer Travel Trends Across India

The summer travel season continues to be one of the peak periods for the hospitality industry, driven by strong leisure demand and an increasing appetite for domestic travel. Across our India portfolio, we are witnessing a robust summer season, with overall occupancy levels up 5% compared to the same period last year. Leisure destinations continue to be key growth drivers, with average occupancies currently trending close to 75%, while weekends are witnessing even stronger demand.

Hill stations and spiritual destinations have emerged as the standout performers this season. Our hill station properties have recorded a 69% growth over last year, while spiritual destinations have witnessed a 41% increase in demand. This reflects a growing preference among travelers for experience-led journeys that combine relaxation, wellness, culture and meaningful connections.

Destinations such as Jammu & Kashmir, Manali, Mussoorie, Udaipur and Ayodhya have delivered particularly strong performance across our portfolio. Beach destinations have also maintained healthy momentum, with Goa and coastal resorts across South India registering an 11% year-on-year increase in demand.

The average daily rates (ADR) across our portfolio have also grown by nearly 6% compared to last year, reflecting sustained consumer confidence and a continued preference for premium, trusted hospitality experiences. The overall performance underscores the resilience of domestic tourism and the growing willingness of Indian travelers to invest in quality travel experiences.

While ongoing geopolitical developments across parts of West Asia have had some impact on international travel sentiment, we are seeing a degree of demand being redirected towards domestic destinations. Travelers continue to prioritise meaningful, high-quality experiences closer to home, further reinforcing the strength of India’s tourism and hospitality sector.

With a diverse presence across leisure destinations including Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Goa, Rajasthan, and Kerala, along with emerging spiritual hubs such as Ayodhya, demand remains well distributed across both established and emerging tourism markets. This reflects the continued diversification of India’s travel landscape and the growing appeal of domestic destinations across traveller segments.