NSO survey: pilgrimage is the top reason Indians take overnight trips
The National Statistical Office's Domestic Tourism Expenditure Survey, covering July 2025 to June 2026, found that nearly half of all overnight trips were for pilgrimage or religious purposes.
- ThePrint
The National Statistical Office's Domestic Tourism Expenditure Survey, covering July 2025 to June 2026, found that nearly half of all overnight trips were for pilgrimage or religious purposes. Medical trips were fewer but cost households the most.
Key data
Pilgrimage 47.7% of trips (rural 48.4%, urban 46.6%), medical 29.6%, leisure and shopping 22.7%. Average medical trip spend ₹32,167. Sample of 2,46,113 households.
Why it matters
Official data now confirms that tīrtha-yātrā drives domestic travel, which matters for temple-town infrastructure and the PRASAD scheme.
GK: did you know?
The NSSO and CSO were merged in 2019 to form the National Statistical Office under MoSPI.
