New Delhi: Even as several sectors face pressure amid heightened tensions in West Asia, India’s tourism industry is seeing a sharp uptick, driven by travellers switching away from long-haul international plans.
The Israel-Iran war, which began on February 28, has disrupted air traffic across West Asian corridors—routes considered crucial for travel to North America and Europe. As a result, many Indian tourists are shelving overseas summer holidays and opting to travel within the country.
Travel platform WanderOn said around 65% of travellers are now actively looking for the best domestic options, with a growing preference for shorter itineraries. Its CEO Govind Gaur noted that the shift has become evident over the past few weeks.
According to the platform, about 30% of travellers are showing interest in cooler destinations such as Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh (Shimla, Kullu and Manali), Uttarakhand, and hill stations in the Northeast including Shillong. Spiritual tourism is also gaining traction, with 23% expressing interest in visiting Rishikesh.
Beyond mountains and pilgrim spots, city tourism is rising too. Udaipur has seen unusually high demand this year, with 69% bookings, followed by Jodhpur at 47%. Interest is also growing in Srinagar and Agartala, while overseas travel interest has not disappeared—many are instead considering nearer destinations such as Vietnam, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Singapore and Thailand.
