Archive · 24 Sep 2026
Religion Drives Nearly Half of India’s Overnight Trips
A new government survey looked at trips people in India took that included staying away from home overnight.
It found that almost half of these trips were connected to religion.
About 48 out of every 100 domestic overnight trips were for pilgrimage or other religious reasons.
This means religious travel is very common in India.
The survey was called the Domestic Tourism Expenditure Survey 2025-26.
The National Statistical Office carried it out.
The survey covered the period from July 2025 to June 2026.
It was part of the 80th National Sample Survey round.
Nearly 48% of domestic overnight trips in India were for pilgrimage and religious purposes.
The finding comes from the Domestic Tourism Expenditure Survey 2025-26.
The survey was released by India’s Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation.
The National Statistical Office conducted the survey between July 2025 and June 2026.
The survey was part of the 80th round of the National Sample Survey.
- Who
- Indian domestic travelers, according to data collected by the National Statistical Office.
- What
- A government survey found that nearly 48% of domestic overnight trips were undertaken for pilgrimage and religious purposes.
- When
- The survey was conducted from July 2025 through June 2026 and released as the Domestic Tourism Expenditure Survey 2025-26.
- Where
- India.
- Why
- The trips were made for pilgrimage and other religious purposes.
- Survey
- Domestic Tourism Expenditure Survey 2025-26
- Religious-trip share
- Nearly 48% of domestic overnight trips
- Survey period
- July 2025 to June 2026
- Conducting agency
- National Statistical Office
- Releasing ministry
- Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation
- Survey round
- 80th National Sample Survey round