According to industry observers, the Independence Day weekend, despite falling on a Saturday, continues to increase booking demand and travel in annual terms across various platforms and among hotel companies, with this demand extending into the first half of the following week.
Sudip Jain, Managing Director of South West Asia at IHG Hotels & Resorts, noted that bookings have risen by 16–20 percent compared to last year, as tourists are making reservations closer to the travel date. He emphasized that a characteristic feature of this year is a shorter booking window, with travelers planning trips immediately before the date, which aligns with trends observed during long weekends.
Jain added that currently, the highest demand is for city hotels within the group, but resorts and leisure destinations are expected to become more active as the weekend approaches.
Rajiv Mehta, Secretary General of the Federation of Associations in Indian Tourism and Hospitality (FAITH), forecasts a 15–20 percent growth in hotel bookings as tourists head to nearby tourist destinations. According to him, the Independence Day weekend has gained significant importance from the perspective of tourism and hospitality.
Mehta also noted that even if Independence Day falls on a Saturday, people still travel to nearby tourist spots. He mentioned that while residents of the National Capital Region travel to Uttarakhand, Himachal, or Jaipur, which are within driving distance, a similar trend is also observed in South and West India.
The PeekABoo Trends tracker from Cleartrip confirmed a sharp surge in spontaneous bookings for the last few days, which aligns with Mehta's comments. The tracker showed that 72 percent of bookings were made four days before Independence Day, indicating a preference for spontaneous short trips.
According to the tracker, youth, or Generation Z, aged 25–34, accounted for 23 percent of bus bookings and 32 percent of flight bookings, thereby stimulating travel demand. Furthermore, the tracker demonstrated a 21 percent increase in hotel bookings compared to the previous week.
Cleartrip concluded that these trends indicate that young travelers are maximizing the weekend through quick, flexible, and often spontaneous trips, with buses becoming a particularly popular choice for such short vacations.
Among cities, Delhi emerged as a key market for this weekend, recording a 53 percent increase in bus bookings and a 9 percent rise in hotel bookings, according to the tracker.
Meanwhile, the online travel portal MakeMyTrip announced on Friday a partnership with the Ministry of Tourism to launch excursions led by local experts in over 60 cities, with bookings starting on Independence Day. The portal expects this collaboration to help Indian tourists explore 'Incredible India,' allowing them to pre-book local guides.
