redBus data reveals GenZ leads India’s spiritual travel segment with 53% share

Men account for nearly 69% of young travellers, while women contribute around 31%. Corridors such as Bangalore–Tirupati, Hyderabad–Tirupati and Rishikesh–Delhi, Pune-Nanded, Chennai-Thanjavur, Indore-Ujjain are seeing notable traction.

India’s spiritual travel segment continues to see strong participation across generations, with younger travellers becoming increasingly visible across key routes and destinations to religious and pilgrimage destinations. Data from redBus indicates that Gen Z and young travellers now account for more than 53% of travellers to spiritual destinations in FY26. This marks a notable rise over the corresponding period in FY25, making them a significant cohort in this category. 

Men account for nearly 69% of these travellers, while women contribute around 31%. This reflects a stronger youth presence in a segment that has long held deep cultural, familial and personal significance in India.

Corridors such as Bangalore–Tirupati, Hyderabad–Tirupati and Rishikesh–Delhi, Pune-Nanded, Chennai-Thanjavur, Indore-Ujjain are seeing notable traction among Gen Z travellers. The Bangalore–Tirupati corridor alone logged lakhs of GenZ travellers, highlighting strong demand across established spiritual routes. 

Spiritual journeys are not always planned far in advance, especially among younger travellers. The share of bookings made within the first four hours alone has increased from 16% in 2022 to nearly ¼ (23%) in 2026. This reflects the convenience of mobile-first access and a growing comfort with close-to-departure planning. Travel decisions may be influenced by important dates, family plans, personal schedules or sudden availability.

Family guidance, community recommendations and traditional travel routes continue to play an important role in travel to spiritual destinations. Alongside this, digital content is helping bring spiritual destinations into the consideration set of younger travellers, through route information, travel videos, devotional music, destination visuals and shared community experiences. This is helping places such as Tirupati, Rishikesh, Thanjavur, Varanasi, Ujjain and Nanded remain visible among young travellers. Digital discovery is not altering the purpose of these journeys; it is widening awareness and making planning more accessible through channels familiar to this cohort.

Spiritual travel continues to remain closely linked to family traditions, cultural continuity and personal belief among younger travellers. Industry reports from 2024 estimate that spiritual tourism contributes nearly 60% of domestic tourism in India, underlining the scale and relevance of the segment.