1. Flights to Ayodhya witness a 150% surge in bookings before the Ram temple inauguration.
2. Airfares on Delhi-Ayodhya and Mumbai-Ayodhya routes spike to around ₹16,000 on January 20 and 21.
3. The increased demand and higher prices are attributed to the grand Ram Mandir Pran Pratishtha ceremony.
Ayodhya, Jan 14: Flights to Ayodhya are experiencing a surge in bookings, with a 150% increase ahead of the inauguration of the Ram temple, according to data from online travel portals.
The airfares for Delhi-Ayodhya and Mumbai-Ayodhya routes on January 20 and 21 have risen to around ₹16,000, compared to the usual ₹3,500 to ₹4,000.
The Mumbai-Ayodhya route fares exceeded ₹20,000. Nishant Pitti, CEO of EaseMyTrip, noted the significant increase in flight bookings and searches since January 1, attributing it to the grand Ram Mandir Pran Pratishtha ceremony scheduled for January 22.
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The Maharishi Valmiki International Airport in Ayodhya, inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on December 30, is anticipated to serve around 10 lakh passengers annually.
Currently, only IndiGo and Air India Express operate flights to Ayodhya from Delhi and Mumbai. Civil aviation minister Jyotiraditya Scindia recently inaugurated direct flights between Ayodhya and Ahmedabad from Delhi.
Despite good loads on flights to Ayodhya, there is a notable difference on the return leg, with the reason remaining unknown.
IndiGo initiated daily operations between Delhi and Ayodhya, with the A321 aircraft carrying approximately 165-170 passengers.
Spiritual tourism in India has seen a 35% growth in just over a year, with spiritual centers like Varanasi, Amritsar, Katra, Puri, Shirdi, Haridwar, and Tirupati contributing significantly.
MakeMyTrip reported that spiritual tourism, representing only 4% of the total cities listed on its platform, contributes to over 12% of overall transactions.
Not only have airfares increased, but hotel bookings and enquiries in Ayodhya have also risen. Rajesh Magow, Co-Founder & Group CEO of MakeMyTrip, highlighted a 5X upside in searches and a 4X increase in bookings compared to last year.
The period from January 10 to 22 is witnessing a sharp surge in bookings, and Ayodhya is expected to become one of the major spiritual destinations in the country.
