Rang Barse: Where are Hyderabadis heading this Holi?

Hyderabad has recorded one of the highest surges in travel bookings among all metros this Holi season. According to the ixigo and AbhiBus report, flight bookings from Hyderabad have jumped 108% compared to last year. While Ahmedabad led the pack with a 118% increase, Hyderabad is right behind, outpacing Chennai (101%), Kolkata (89%), and Delhi (80%).

The rise in intercity travel:

It isn’t just air travel that is witnessing a boom. With train waitlists stretching long, travellers are turning to buses. The Hyderabad–Vijayawada and Hyderabad–Bengaluru routes have seen a massive 70% year-on-year rise in advance bus bookings.

While Hyderabadis are busy travelling, a curious trend has emerged nationally regarding where people are going for leisure.

Moving beyond the usual beaches of Goa, Udaipur has become the top choice for holidaymakers this year. The City of Lakes saw a staggering 94% increase in flight bookings.

Other top leisure destinations include: Dehradun with a 90% increase, Srinagar with an 85% increase, Goa with an 81% increase, and Jaipur with a 73% increase.

Women leading the way

An interesting shift this year is the rise in women travellers. AbhiBus reported that advance bus bookings by women have risen by nearly 80%, with women now accounting for close to 40% of all seats booked so far.

Why the rush?

Aloke Bajpai, Co-founder & Group CEO of ixigo, explains that the timing of the festival is driving the numbers. "Holi falling mid-week has unlocked something interesting this year. Travellers aren't just celebrating for a day; they're building full travel experiences around it. We are seeing two distinct trends: a rush back to hometowns across Tier 2 and 3 India, and a parallel surge in leisure getaways,” said Bajpai.