Have you ever watched a gripping series set in the lush landscapes of Northeast India and felt an irresistible urge to visit? You are part of a massive trend. The lines between entertainment and exploration are blurring, as a significant wave of Indian travellers are turning their screen-inspired wanderlust into actual itineraries, fundamentally reshaping the country's travel patterns.
The Northeast Takes Center Stage
According to a detailed analysis by the travel booking platform ixigo, popular OTT (Over-The-Top) series are now a powerful force influencing holiday decisions. The data shows a sharp increase in flight bookings to northeastern cities like Imphal, Dimapur, and Agartala throughout 2025. This surge directly coincided with the release of major shows that prominently featured the region, including The Family Man (Season 3), Paatal Lok (Season 2), and Delhi Crime (Season 3).
These cinematic hits have successfully showcased the region's breathtaking scenery and rich cultural tapestry to mainstream audiences nationwide. As a result, destinations that were once considered offbeat are now firmly on the tourist map. The ixigo Great Indian Travel Index 2025 confirmed this trend, noting a significant year-on-year growth in bookings to key northeastern hubs such as Guwahati, Itanagar, Dimapur, Agartala, and Imphal.
Global Wanderlust and Domestic Faith
The report also painted a picture of broader shifts in how Indians travelled in 2025. On the international front, Japan and South Korea emerged as the top-booked destinations for Indian travellers using ixigo. A clear preference for East and Southeast Asia was evident, with Vietnam and Thailand gaining substantial popularity alongside consistent demand for Sri Lanka and Indonesia.
Simultaneously, Indian tourists displayed a growing appetite for newer experiences beyond Asia. Countries like Oman, Kenya, Kazakhstan, the UAE, Uzbekistan, and Qatar witnessed rising interest, highlighting a move towards more diverse and less conventional global destinations.
Domestically, a powerful surge in spiritual tourism was recorded, driven largely by younger generations. Travel related to the Maha Kumbh led to a massive spike in bookings to Prayagraj. Notably, Gen Z bus bookings to the city jumped nearly 20 times compared to the previous year. The intensity of this demand was starkly highlighted by the most expensive domestic flight ticket booked on ixigo in 2025: a Mumbai-Prayagraj ticket costing Rs 92,644.
Rooted in Culture, Driven by Aspiration
Commenting on these insights, Aloke Bajpai, Group CEO, and Rajnish Kumar, Group Co-CEO of ixigo, emphasized the scale and diversity of India's travel demand. "Faith-led travel emerged as a powerful driver, with destinations like Varanasi alone witnessing nearly 147 million visits in 2025," they noted. They also pointed out that rising disposable incomes and improved connectivity are expanding the travel ecosystem to include new demographics.
The executives further highlighted the rising influence of smaller cities: "We're also seeing Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities increasingly shape India's travel narrative." Cities such as Rishikesh, Indore, Nagpur, Bhopal, Lucknow, and Assam are generating strong demand across flights, trains, and buses. Several bus routes connecting metros to these emerging cities experienced year-on-year growth of close to 80%.
"Together, these trends reflect how travel in India is deeply rooted in culture, belief, and aspiration, cutting across age groups, geographies, and travel modes," they concluded. The data unequivocally shows that what Indians watch today directly influences where they will travel tomorrow.
