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Travel demand from Delhi NCR and nearby regions surged during the year-end season and is now extending into the new year, as residents look to escape persistently
hazardous winter air, according to travel industry executives. While festivals and holidays remain key drivers, prolonged pollution episodes are increasingly influencing travel behaviour. Many travellers from the region are now prioritising destinations with cleaner air, both within India and overseas. Ravi Gosain, president of the Indian Association of Tour Operators, said several NCR-based operators have seen a clear shift in booking patterns. Travellers are opting for hill stations and low-AQI destinations over extended stays in the capital as air quality remains poor. StayVista founder Amit Damani said bookings from Delhi travellers rose more than 40% year-on-year in December, while website traffic jumped over 90%. Uttarakhand emerged as the biggest gainer, with bookings rising over 60%, led by destinations such as Mussoorie, Dehradun and Bhimtal. There is little immediate relief expected from pollution levels. The Supreme Court recently directed the Commission for Air Quality Management to identify major pollution sources in the National Capital Region within two weeks and propose long-term, phased action plans. International travel from Delhi NCR has also outpaced other major cities. Santosh Hegde, head of marketing at visa startup Atlys, said visa issuances from Delhi during peak pollution months rose 55% year-on-year in 2025, exceeding growth seen in Mumbai and Bengaluru. Industry executives say travel decisions are now shaped by a mix of holiday calendars, seasonal trends and environmental concerns. Rajiv Mehra, general secretary of the Federation of Associations in Indian Tourism & Hospitality, said air pollution between October and December has become a major trigger for travel outside NCR, particularly to regions reporting very low AQI levels such as Kausani in Uttarakhand. Romil Pant, executive vice president and head of holidays at Thomas Cook (India), said demand from Delhi NCR was led by multi-generational families and working professionals. Short-haul, easy-visa destinations such as Thailand, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Vietnam, Dubai-Abu Dhabi, Indonesia, Malaysia, Azerbaijan and Georgia saw strong interest. Travel demand has also expanded from tier-two and tier-three markets around NCR. SD Nandakumar of SOTC Travel said travellers showed rising interest in experiences such as cruises from Singapore, winter holidays in Nepal, Northern Lights trips to Norway, Finland and Murmansk, and snow destinations across Europe. Asego Global Assistance & Travel Insurance reported a nearly 24% year-on-year increase in overseas travel insurance policies from Delhi NCR during the October–December quarter, with particularly strong momentum in November and December. Travel companies note that while festive demand remains the primary driver, extreme climatic and environmental conditions are gradually reshaping travel preferences, signalling a more conscious and evolved traveller mindset,
