Not Just Delhi-Mumbai: Tier-2 Cities Drive India’s ‘Long Weekend’ Economy

Indian urban travellers have redefined the city break. Last-minute booking dominates: 70% of all city-break bookings are made within 7 days of travel, fueld by long weekends

The Tier-2 Surge

While Mumbai and Delhi remain hubs, the real action is in Tier-2 cities:

• Ahmedabad, Lucknow, Indore, and Coimbatore are emerging as high-potential destinations
• These cities reported significant surges in short-stay bookings (1-3 nights)
• Cities like Coimbatore, Kochi, Ahmedabad, Indore, Jaipur, and Lucknow are seeing rapid GCC growth and infrastructure development

The “Work-from-Hotel” Boom: Hotel association HAI noted that “work-from-hotel” day packages in city centres grew by 110% in 2024.

Vande Bharat Effect:

Semi-high-speed trains now drive 1-hour city-hop itineraries:

• Mysuru-Chennai route: 36 lakh passengers in FY 2025-26
• Across India, Vande Bharat services recorded 34% year-on-year growth in FY 2025-26 (2.97 crore → 3.98 crore passengers)
• Bengaluru has Vande Bharat connections to Chennai, Mysuru, Kalaburagi, and more

B2B Industry Analysis

B2B Opportunity

Dynamic packaging of local experiences + co-working spaces. Avoid hotels; partner with serviced apartments and food hubs.