In India, people travel extensively for tourism as well as religious purposes. A government survey found that 48 out of every 100 trips were for religious reasons.
Religious tours in India
People in India have a wide variety of destinations to visit. Some prefer to go to the mountains, while others prefer to spend their holidays at the seaside. There are also many who enjoy visiting temples, pilgrimage sites, and other religious sites with their families. A government survey has now revealed that religious travel accounts for a significant portion of travel in the country.
According to a survey conducted between July 2025 and June 2026, approximately 48 percent of overnight trips in the past year were for religious or pilgrimage purposes. This means that approximately 48 out of every 100 trips were motivated by faith. Significantly, this figure was nearly identical in both rural and urban areas.
About 48 out of every 100 pilgrimages are religious.
According to a government survey, among those who traveled at least one night away from home in the past year, approximately 48% were for religious or pilgrimage purposes. People also traveled for vacations, tourism, medical treatment, and other purposes, but religious travel was the most common. Simply put, out of every 100 trips, approximately 48% were to visit a temple, pilgrimage, or religious site. This figure reflects the significant share of faith-related travel in India.
Be it village or city, religious pilgrimage is ahead in both places.
A notable finding of this survey is that religious travel accounted for 48 percent of the total in both rural and urban areas. This means it's not just rural residents who visit religious sites. Urban residents are also traveling to pilgrimage and religious sites in large numbers. In rural areas, medical travel is the most common reason for religious travel, while in urban areas, travel for tourism and vacations is the second most common reason. This clearly demonstrates that religious travel is a major reason for travel for people across the country.
Most people prefer short trips.
The survey also revealed that most people don't travel for very long periods. Nearly 80 percent of trips were for five days or less. This means that people prefer to leave home for a few days, complete their work, and then return. On average, a trip involved about two people. People also used different modes of transportation, depending on their convenience. Buses were more common in rural areas, while trains were more common in cities.
Uttar Pradesh has the highest number of passengers.
Among states, Uttar Pradesh had the highest number of inbound and outbound travelers. Including all types of travel, Uttar Pradesh accounted for 15.7 percent of the country's total visitor trips. Tamil Nadu and Rajasthan followed. Uttar Pradesh is home to several major religious sites, such as Ayodhya, Varanasi, and Mathura, which attract visitors from across the country. However, this 15.7 percent figure represents all types of visitor trips, not just religious trips.
Most travel is religious, but the cost is higher elsewhere.
While religious trips may have led the way in terms of numbers, the most expensive trips weren't necessarily religious. According to the survey, medical trips accounted for a significantly higher average expenditure. In rural areas, the average cost per medical trip was ₹29,454, while in urban areas, the expenditure was ₹41,649. This suggests that people in India travel for more than just sightseeing. Religious trips, medical treatment, family responsibilities, and other important reasons also account for a significant portion of travel in the country.
