Moving ahead from parties, Gen Z and millennials now form almost the whole group of travellers visiting spiritual and heritage places in India. This isn’t just a short-term trend; it shows a clear change happening every year. Zostel’s data proves that the young generation also wants meaningful experiences, local connections, and a chance to explore culture along with their spiritual journey. Scroll down to know more!
Gen Z And Millenials Are Taking Spiritual Trips
Young travellers don’t just want to tick temples off their list anymore. They want to truly experience the place — meet people, explore local culture, and feel the vibe along with the spirituality. You can clearly see this in places like Rishikesh. In 2025, Gen Z made up 59% of visitors there, while millennials added another 38.3%. That’s almost everyone. And this isn’t just a one-time trend. What started in Rishikesh is now happening across many spiritual and heritage destinations in India.
And it’s not just one or two places showing this shift. Cities like Aurangabad saw a 6.8% rise in tourism demand in 2025, especially around spots like Grishneshwar Temple and the Ajanta–Ellora caves. Gokarna did even better, with a strong 25.3% growth, proving that young travellers love destinations that mix spirituality with unique experiences. Hampi and McLeod Ganj also saw steady growth of 17.8% and 18.3%, while Mysore continued to attract consistent visitors. Clearly, this isn’t a random trend.
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Growth Driven By Indians
What’s even more interesting is that this growth is mostly driven by Indians. International travellers made up only about 10% of spiritual travel demand in Zostel’s network in 2025. Young Indian travellers are leading the way. And when it comes to places like Varanasi, they don’t just go for rituals. They enjoy sunrise ghat walks, evening aartis, and local food trails. They want to feel the place, not just visit it — and that’s exactly the direction spiritual travel is moving in.
From Rishikesh to Varanasi, young travellers are leading this travel change. They seek meaningful experiences, deeper connections, and authentic moments. This new generation is redefining spiritual journeys in its own thoughtful way.
So, which place are you travelling to next? Tell us in the comments below!
Cover Image Courtesy: Canva Pro/ Yoga Vidya Mandiram