Diwali weekend getaways 2025: Short trips and “smart luxury” drive a 22% surge in bookings. See top budget destinations, booking trends and travel tips.
This Diwali season Indians are favouring short, smart and budget-friendly breaks — a trend travel platforms call “smart luxury.” Mid-range stays priced around ₹2,000–6,000 per night saw a 22% year-on-year jump, as travellers cut room spend and splurge on local experiences instead. The Thrillophilia report highlights a clear shift to short trips and weekend getaways, with two- and three-night bookings making up 58% of all reservations — evidence that more travellers want frequent short trips over long holidays.
Average domestic trip spending now clusters between ₹25,000–₹45,000, while short-haul international plans average ₹60,000–₹95,000, showing Indians are willing to trade nights for richer daytime experiences. Popular categories include trekking (+27%), local sightseeing (+24%) and premium experiences (average basket ~₹3,600). The report also points to GST 2.0 and earlier planning windows as catalysts for the change: the average booking window has increased to 21 days, and Hyderabad leads early planning markets with a 24-day window.
Top emerging budget destinations this festive season include Jaipur, Lucknow and Bhopal — cities that combine affordability, cultural attractions and compact weekend itineraries. Patna showed the fastest booking velocity, selling Diwali-week inventory three days earlier than last year, while Panaji is steering the boutique-stay and homestay revival, now accounting for over half of nights booked in that market. These signals matter for hoteliers and local operators: optimize mid-range packages, promote experience-led add-ons, and target search queries like “Diwali weekend getaways 2025,” “budget Diwali trips,” and “short trips from [city]” to capture high-intent traffic.
