Northeast flight bookings soar as OTT content boosts regional tourism: ixigo report

India’s popular OTT shows are doing more than driving viewership – they are putting the Northeast firmly on the travel map as flight bookings to cities like Imphal, Dimapur and Agartala recorded a strong growth in the year, according to an ixigo report.

OTT shows like The Family Man (Season 3), Paatal Lok (Season 2) and Delhi Crime (Season 3) showcased the Northeast region’s lush landscapes, layered cultures and raw, unfiltered settings, sparking fresh curiosity around lesser-explored destinations, the report said.

This on-screen spotlight translated into real-world travel demand in 2025, with ixigo witnessing strong YoY growth in flight bookings to key Northeastern cities: Dimapur, Agartala, Guwahati, Imphal, and Itanagar, it said further.

Also Read:Ixigo to expand hotels and boost brands, says CEO Aloke Bajpai

According to ixigo’s ’The Great Indian Travel Index 2025’, flight bookings to key cities in the country’s North-East, including Dimapur, Agartala, Guwahati and Imphal, soared during the year. India’s binge-worthy OTT hits are doing more than driving viewership – they’re putting the Northeast firmly on the travel map, it added.

Japan and South Korea emerged as India’s most-booked international destinations in 2025 on ixigo, the travel booking platform said on Friday.

Meanwhile, Gen Z powered India’s spiritual travel surge, with Maha Kumbh-led demand sending Prayagraj bookings soaring across modes.

The event triggered a sharp surge in travel to Prayagraj, with Gen Z bus bookings climbing almost 20x year-on-year. Reflecting the demand peak, the most expensive domestic flight booked on ixigo in 2025 was a Mumbai-Prayagraj ticket priced at ₹ 92,644 during the Kumbh period.

Indian travellers expanded their horizons in 2025, with a clear shift towards newer international destinations. East and Southeast Asia emerged as standout favourites for ixigo, led by Japan, South Korea, Vietnam and Thailand, reflecting growing interest in culture-rich, experience-led travel. Traditional favourites continued to hold steady, with Sri Lanka and Indonesia remaining popular choices.

Beyond Asia, the Middle East and other emerging destinations also saw strong momentum, driven by Oman, Kenya, Kazakhstan, the UAE, Uzbekistan, and Qatar, signalling Indians’ increasing appetite for offbeat global getaways.

Aloke Bajpai, Group CEO, and Rajnish Kumar, Group Co-CEO, ixigo, said, ”What truly stood out in The Great Indian Travel Index 2025 was the scale and diversity of travel demand across the country. Faith-led travel emerged as a powerful driver, with destinations like Varanasi alone witnessing nearly 147 million visits in 2025. At the same time, rising disposable incomes and better connectivity are helping expand the travel ecosystem beyond existing travellers”.

"We are also seeing Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities increasingly shape India’s travel narrative. Cities such as Rishikesh, Indore, Nagpur, Bhopal, Lucknow, and Assam are driving strong demand across flights, trains, and buses, with several metro-to-emerging city bus routes experiencing YoY growth of nearly 80 per cent. Together, these trends reflect how travel in India is deeply rooted in culture, belief, and aspiration, cutting across age groups, geographies, and travel modes”.