When you think of vacationing in India, the popular spots come to mind. Everything from the romanticised hills of Manali to the waves crashing against your feet in Goa, you are transported to these spots. However, a recent Hotelivate report reveals the shocking state of Indian hospitality.
The hospitality consulting firm reported that Uttarakhand’s Rishikesh, the famous pilgrimage spot, is leading the chart as India’s most expensive vacation spot. Although the revenue per available room (RevPAR) has seen a marginal decline by nearly 4%, from Rs 10,086 to Rs 9,691 in FY24.
Rishikesh trumps Goa
The list reveals the top 10 leisure destinations in India, based on the highest RevPAR. The priciest deal available in Rishikesh, which also famously hosted the Beatles in the 60s. Though business destinations are predominantly different, with Mumbai leading the way. Earlier, the Hurun Wealth Report and Luxury Consumer Survey 2025 reported a spike in millionaires in Maharashtra. With over 1,40,000 high net worth individuals in Mumbai, it was labelled the Millionaire Capital of India.
Top 10 leisure destinations in India:
- Rishikesh
- Ranthambore
- Udaipur
- Srinagar
- Goa
- Varanasi
- Jodhpur
- Mussoorie
- Lonavala
- Agra
The broader top 15 reflects similar trends: leisure markets like Coorg and Srinagar have dropped in rank due to the arrival of new, lower-tier hotels, whereas established urban markets such as Hyderabad and Gurgaon have posted robust RevPAR growth,” says Hotelivate.
These emerging leisure destinations are largely impacted by airfares, location, seasonal demands, and geopolitical conditions. It was noted that following the heinous Pahalgam terror attack in the Kashmir valley, tourism was largely impacted. The fallout also led to several flight cancellations.
While leisure “markets found a rhythm, posting records in performance” last fiscal, places like Goa are “showing signs of fatigue.”
Top business destinations
- Mumbai
- Delhi
- Hyderabad
- Gurgaon
- Bengaluru
Mumbai has once again taken the top spot, leading the country in room revenue per key while also ranking on the podium across other major hospitality metrics. Bengaluru and New Delhi rounded out the top three in terms of hotel inventory.
Interestingly, established hotels performed much stronger than the overall market last fiscal year. Properties that had been operational before March 2021 recorded an occupancy of 71.9%, compared to the nationwide average of 68%. Their average daily rate (ADR) also stood higher at Rs 8,701, against the countrywide ADR of Rs 8,432.
