Festive travel trends 2026 as Scapia shows bookings up 3-4x in India. See top Dussehra, Diwali and year-end destinations, from Gokarna to Central Asia, per Scapia data. Indians are heading out this festive season, and they are choosing less obvious places. Scapia’s festive travel trends 2026 report shows that bookings across travel categories for October to December have grown 3-4x year-on-year. Goa and the hill stations are still popular, but smaller beach towns, islands, wildlife reserves and new overseas destinations are growing faster.
Festive Travel Trends 2026 as Scapia: Top Destinations and Booking Data
Scapia, a travel fintech platform, released the data on October 14, 2026. Here is what stands out.
Dussehra: Beyond Beaches and Hills
Beach and hill stays for Dussehra week are each up 3.5x. Goa stays have grown 4.4x, but Gokarna leads the smaller coastal towns with 8x growth, followed by Varkala and Kollam. Srinagar, Mussoorie and Manali are up 6-7x. October check-ins for the Andamans are up 5x, as travellers go beyond Port Blair to Havelock and Neil islands.
Scenic train travel is also catching on. Bookings for Vistadome coaches have doubled on routes such as Bengaluru-Mangaluru and the UNESCO-listed Kalka-Shimla railway.
Diwali: Beaches and Premium Stays
Beach stay searches and bookings for Diwali week are up 4.8x. International flight bookings are up about 4x. Nearly one in three beach stays is at a five-star property, and three in ten include children.
Year-End: Heritage, Wildlife and Overseas Trips
| Category | Growth vs Last Year |
|---|---|
| Safari stay bookings (Oct-Dec) | 6.6x |
| International flights (Christmas-New Year) | 5.4x |
| International stays (Christmas-New Year) | 5.2x |
| Heritage stays | 4.8x |
| Ajanta-Ellora | 4.9x |
| Kumbhalgarh | 4.6x |
Ranthambore, Gir and Jim Corbett lead the wildlife picks. Jaipur and Udaipur remain heritage favourites.
International Travel
Southeast Asia accounts for over half of international flight bookings. Thailand leads, followed by Vietnam and Singapore. Cambodia searches are up 10x. Central Asia is the new name to watch, with searches for Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan at record highs. Travellers there are booking about two weeks ahead, compared with four weeks last year. Searches for the UK, Germany and Czechia are up roughly 4.5x.
What Scapia Says
Rathinamurthy R, Head of Travel at Scapia, said travellers are “looking beyond the usual holiday destinations,” with smaller beach towns, islands and wildlife spots growing rapidly.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much have festive travel bookings grown in 2026?
Bookings across travel categories are up 3-4x year-on-year for October to December.
Which beach town is growing fastest for Dussehra?
Gokarna, with 8x growth in bookings.
Where are Indians travelling abroad this festive season?
Southeast Asia leads, with Thailand, Vietnam and Singapore on top. Central Asia is emerging fast.
What are Vistadome coaches?
They are train coaches with panoramic windows, built for scenic routes.
Final Verdict
Plan early if you want a popular spot, or try a lesser-known one like Gokarna, Kumbhalgarh or Uzbekistan. For more travel and trend stories, keep reading TechnoSports.
