Ram Mandir effect: Online bus ticketing platform AbhiBus records 86% rise in demand

Online bus ticketing platform AbhiBus said on Wednesday it has seen an 86% month-on-month increase in travel demand to Ayodhya, particularly among Gen Z travellers.

The company said the surge reflects a 'significant' trend of enthusiasm among the younger generation to visit the Ram Mandir.

The company said a significant portion of devotees traveling via buses for visiting the newly opened temple belong to the 20-25 age group.


According to AbhiBus, the highest bus travel demand to visit Ayodhya this week was observed from cities such as Delhi, Varanasi, and Lucknow. Hyderabad and Mumbai occupy the fourth and fifth positions, respectively, in terms of the cities from which devotees are heading to Ayodhya.

Rohit Sharma, chief operating officer of AbhiBus, said over the past one year, the company has seen an increasing interest in pilgrimage travel among young travellers.

"The substantial increase in travel demand to Ayodhya, especially among Gen Z travelers, reflects the deep spiritual connection and enthusiasm of the youth towards spiritual destinations. The government's initiatives to enhance connectivity across all modes of transport, including the establishment of the Ayodhya Dham bus terminal, will address this surging demand," he added.

Similar surge in travel demand to Ayodhya was also seen for flights and trains this month. Travel platform, Ixigo witnessed more than 300% month-on-month increase in flight travel searches to/from Ayodhya since the launch of the new Ayodhya airport. Train travel searches also saw a 100% month on month increase in January.