Strong demand across routes to Dehradun, Manali, Goa, Tirupati and Ujjain
IPL, vacations and rising push for domestic tourism
IntrCity SmartBus, India’s leading tech-enabled intercity bus network, is witnessing a sharp rise in travel demand this summer season, driven by IPL-related movement, school vacations, long weekends, and a growing preference for domestic road travel.
Route Searches Jump 45% Amid Rising Preference for Domestic Travel
The company has also observed a strong increase in travel intent following recent conversations around prioritising domestic tourism and avoiding discretionary international travel. Over the past few days alone, the platform has recorded a nearly 42-45% increase in searches across several high-demand routes, signalling stronger momentum for domestic leisure travel in the coming weeks.
10-14% rise in bookings across IPL and metro corridors in April
IntrCity SmartBus initially recorded a 10-14% increase in bookings across key IPL and metro corridors during April, with host city routes witnessing particularly strong demand around match weekends. However, from the second week of May onwards, demand accelerated significantly as summer vacations commenced across several states.
Bookings across major leisure and pilgrimage corridors have now risen by nearly 30-35%, with routes to destinations such as Dehradun, Manali, Goa, Tirupati and Ujjain witnessing particularly strong traction. The company also noted that several premium long-haul routes are operating at near-full occupancy closer to departure dates.
Advance bookings happening 5-10 days earlier than usual
IntrCity SmartBus is additionally witnessing a noticeable shift in booking behaviour this season, with travellers planning trips significantly earlier than usual. Advance bookings are currently being made 5-10 days earlier, especially for weekends and holiday departures. The platform has also seen a considerable increase in family and group travel bookings across leisure-heavy corridors.
Commenting on the trend, Manish Rathi, Co-founder & CEO, IntrCity SmartBus, said, “We are witnessing strong summer travel demand across key intercity and leisure corridors, driven by the holiday season, long weekends and increased movement during the IPL period. Several high-demand routes are seeing strong occupancy levels, and we continue to strengthen our services and capacity across important corridors to cater to the growing demand.”
With demand expected to remain strong through the peak summer travel period, the company is continuing to strengthen capacity across high-traffic corridors and key leisure destinations.
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