An Oyo spokesperson booking requests for the Maha Kumbh period are twice the available inventory, with demand on Shahi Snan days soaring to three times the total number of rooms.
“Oyo is seeing a significant surge in demand during the Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj. The search volume for Oyo hotels has doubled this week compared to the same week last month, reflecting heightened demand among travellers,” the spokesperson said.
Searches for Prayagraj on MakeMyTrip have surged 23 times year-on-year and travel demand is particularly high during the event’s opening and closing week, said MakeMyTrip co-founder and group CEO Rajesh Magow.
” As devotees seek immersive experiences closer to the heart of the Maha Kumbh, tent accommodations have witnessed strong demand. MakeMyTrip’s eight specially curated packages for the Maha Kumbh have also seen positive uptick, with families and groups making up the largest share,” he added.
Given the lack of branded premium hotels in Prayagraj, rates for homestays and alternative accommodation options are going up. A room at Zone Connect by The Park in Prayagraj costs Rs 30,680 for January 13 on Booking.com. A room at Heritage Inn would cost Rs 23,600, while a superior queen room at hotel Krishna Continental would cost Rs 29, 589 as per Booking.com.Santosh Kumar, country manager for India, Sri Lanka, Maldives and Indonesia at Booking.com the platform has seen a ‘staggering’ 35-fold increase in searches for Prayagraj, the host city, during the months of January and February. This is search data with search session dates from November 30 to December 7, for check-in dates from January 11 to February 28. “The Maha Kumbh Mela’s impact extends beyond Prayagraj. Varanasi is also witnessing a surge in travel interest, with a 70% year-on-year increase in searches. Other neighboring cities like Vrindavan and Lucknow are experiencing similar trends, highlighting the travellers’ desire to immerse themselves in the spiritual atmosphere surrounding the event,” he added.
Sadhvi Tapeshwari Bharti, spokesperson for Divya Jyoti Jagrati Sansthan said around 9000-10,000 people will reside at the Sansthan’s Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati cottages and they are all sold out. “Around 15-20 lakh visitors are expected in our pandal from India and abroad (mainly from the UK, USA, Singapore and Australia),” she added.
