The Maha Kumbh Mela is underway in Prayagraj from 13 January  to 26 February, a once-in-144-years event marked by rare celestial alignments. This means 12 cycles of 12 Kumbh Melas were completed before this Maha Kumbh Mela. Renowned as one of the world’s largest spiritual gatherings, it’s attracting millions of pilgrims and international visitors to India.

Beyond its spiritual and cultural significance, the event is a major travel moment for India, with a notable surge in domestic and international travel activity. Traveller data from Skyscanner, highlights the high travel demand among Indian as well as international travellers:

Domestic:  

• Skyscanner has observed a significant increase in travel interest for the Maha Kumbh, with elevated booking volumes from January 12 continuing through February 26 aligning with key dates of the holy dip rituals.

• January 28 stands out as the peak travel date, indicating higher travel interest due to the Second Shahi Snan (royal bath) on January 29, which is considered highly auspicious. Other dates with high booking volumes include January 14, 15, 25, and 29.

• Notably, January 28 has recorded a staggering 675% increase in booking volume compared to a typical day.  Compared to the same time last year when no event was held in Prayagraj, the volume of bookings has surged by 1,776%, reflecting the growing enthusiasm to attend this once-in-a-lifetime experience.

• Based on Skyscanner data in the week of January 20, searches for travel in February have spiked across key domestic routes, with the following emerging as sought after routes in the last 28 days. Interestingly, searches for nearby airports, such as Varanasi, have also witnessed a surge, indicating a growing interest in indirect travel routes.

o   Bengaluru to Varanasi

o   Mumbai to Varanasi

o   Mumbai to Prayagraj

• The data also reveals that the following routes witnessed a significant week-on-week** (WoW) growth in searches for travel in February:

o   Hyderabad – Prayagraj: up by 2,815%

o   Pune – Prayagraj: up by 1,345%

o   Prayagraj – Mumbai: up by 870%

**Based on Skyscanner data in the week of January 20 as compared to searches in the week of January 13

International: 

With significant interest from international travellers planning their visits around the key holy dip dates (January 13, January 14, January 29, February 3, February 12, February 26), it is evident that the spiritual event has a global appeal. The top five international cities that have searched for travel to Prayagraj around these dates are:

• Dubai

• London

• Abu Dhabi

• Singapore

• Doha

This data underscores how travellers across India and the world are gearing up to immerse themselves in the spiritual grandeur of the Maha Kumbh, making it a pivotal travel moment for 2025.