What is the story about?
For years, planning a holiday in India came with an unspoken compromise: either find someone to look after your pet or leave them behind with a lingering
sense of guilt. That trade-off is quietly disappearing. A growing number of Indian travellers are no longer planning around their pets, they’re planning with them. And the travel industry is racing to keep up. What’s driving this shift is a deeper emotional change. Pets are no longer seen as an add-on to the family, they are family. This 'pets-as-family' mindset is now influencing everything from destination choices to accommodation preferences. It’s also reshaping expectations, travellers are going beyond pet-tolerant spaces, and are now looking for pet-welcoming ones.
Stats Back Up The Pet Love
The numbers reflect this transformation. MakeMyTrip has reported a double-digit rise in bookings for pet-friendly properties in the first quarter of 2026 compared to the same period last year. Search activity for pet-friendly stays is also climbing steadily, with urban India leading the charge. Metro cities, particularly Mumbai and Pune, followed by Delhi NCR and Bengaluru, are driving demand, a trend linked to rising pet ownership, smaller households, and the convenience of short, drivable getaways. And other places are soon catching up. Cities like Coimbatore, Chennai, and Ahmedabad have begun emerging as new contributors to this trend, suggesting that pet-inclusive travel is spreading beyond traditional urban hubs.
On the supply side, the response has been swift. More than 5,500 hotels and over 9,000 villas and homestays across India now welcome pets, a significant jump that signals where the market is headed. The appeal is especially strong in private accommodations. These consist of villas with gardens, homestays with open spaces, and properties that allow pets to move freely rather than stay confined.
Pets As Family Travel Trend
As Ajeeta Yadav, Chief Commercial Officer, Alternate Accommodation at MakeMyTrip, points out, 'Pet parents are looking for private spaces, open gardens and outdoor areas where their companions can truly roam free.' It’s a demand that hosts are actively responding to, with supply in this segment growing by more than 40% in just the first quarter of this year. Interestingly, while families with children remain the biggest segment searching for pet-friendly stays, the trend cuts across demographics. Couples and friend groups are just as likely to include pets in their travel plans, turning what was once a niche preference into a mainstream expectation.
Destination trends also reveal how this shift is playing out. Goa, Lonavala, Mahabaleshwar, Ooty, and Alibaug continue to dominate as pet-friendly hotspots, places that offer a mix of accessibility, open spaces, and relaxed hospitality norms. These are destinations where a morning walk isn’t just scenic, it’s shared with a wagging companion. What’s unfolding is more than a passing trend. It’s a redefinition of what a holiday looks like for Indian travellers. The itinerary now includes pet-friendly cafes, open beaches, and accommodations that don’t just allow pets but anticipate their needs.
In the process, the Indian travel experience is becoming more personal, more flexible, and, in many ways, more joyful. Because for a growing number of travellers, a holiday doesn’t quite feel complete without the one companion who never complains about the itinerary, only the lack of it.
