NSO survey flags divergent stay preferences among urban and rural domestic travellers
Urban travellers are more likely to use hotels, guesthouses and rentals, while rural travellers favour dharamshalas, according to an NSO domestic tourism survey. Short trips dominate, and transport takes nearly 35% of religious and leisure-trip spending, creating distinct demand signals for travel retail and transit-linked outlets.
What happened
National Statistical Office (NSO) · NSO’s domestic tourism survey shows urban travellers favour hotels, guesthouses and rentals, while rural travellers prefer
Key facts
- Average overnight-trip spend: Rs 16,420 urban; Rs 15,560 rural
- 64% of trips lasted up to three nights
- 127 trips per 100 tourist households in rural areas, versus 118 in 2014-15
- 132 trips per 100 tourist households in urban areas, versus 121 in 2014-15
- 22% of households took holiday/leisure trips
What changed
NSO’s domestic tourism survey shows urban travellers favour hotels, guesthouses and rentals, while rural travellers prefer dharamshalas. Medical and pilgrimage trips dominate, with short stays and transport accounting for the largest share of leisure and religious trip spending.
Why this matters
Prioritise compact, transit-adjacent formats and short-trip missions, tailoring urban assortments to hotel and rental guests while building value-led offerings near rural pilgrimage and dharamshala corridors.