Zostel: June mountain bookings jump 76% in Shimla, 95% in Srinagar-Tirthan-Gangtok

Zostel data shows urban Indians fleeing heat to the hills, with overall mountain bookings up 7-9% and 48% booked within 72 hours. Occupancy lifted 15-18%, while non-metro travellers now drive 67% of footfall, up from 65% last year, underscoring spontaneous travel and a tier-2/3 demand surge.

— Source publishedSun, 21 Jun, 2026, 13:27 IST·First seen Sun, 21 Jun, 2026, 14:35 IST·Source NDTV Profit

What happened

Zostel data shows June mountain bookings up 76% YoY in Shimla and 95% in Srinagar/Tirthan/Gangtok, with 48% booked within 72 hours. Non-metro travellers now 67%

Key facts

  • 76% YoY booking growth Shimla
  • 95% footfall growth Srinagar/Tirthan/Gangtok
  • 7-9% overall mountain bookings growth
  • 48% bookings within 72 hours
  • 15-18% occupancy lift
  • 67% non-metro footfall vs 65% last year

Why this matters

Scout bolt-on acquisitions of regional mountain hostel chains and partnerships with tier-2/3 OTAs to lock in spontaneous-travel demand before incumbents like OYO and Treebo close the gap.