Jaipur: The Diwali surge in tourist footfalls across Rajasthan was missing this year, with the tourism industry witnessing a subdued start to the high season in Nov.
Massive fireworks display on Diwali at Amar Jawan Jyoti, Jaipur Rajasthan on 09 November 2026. The programme was organised by JMC and JDA as part of 3-day Deepawali celebration in Jaipur.
Hotels reported lower occupancies than usual, with industry players attributing the slow start largely to a delayed wedding season, which is expected to gather momentum only after Nov 20.Traditionally, Diwali marks the transition to the high cycle of tourism in Rajasthan. The festive period triggers an increase in domestic tourist movement, followed by wedding-related travel and foreign tourist arrivals.
Massive fireworks display on Diwali at Amar Jawan Jyoti, Jaipur Rajasthan on 09 November 2026. The programme was organised by JMC and JDA as part of 3-day Deepawali celebration in Jaipur.
“This combination usually gives hotels and other tourism-related businesses a strong start to the winter season. This year, however, the anticipated surge in visitor footfalls around Diwali failed to materialise,” said a representative of the industry.The slowdown has been visible across major tourist destinations, including Udaipur, Jaipur and Jodhpur, which have witnessed lacklustre visitor footfalls. Hotels across these destinations have reported occupancies of around 45-50% since the beginning of Nov, against the usual 75-80% during this period.
Massive crowd turned up for the fireworks display on Diwali at Amar Jawan Jyoti, Jaipur Rajasthan on 09 November 2026. The programme was organised by JMC and JDA as part of 3-day Deepawali celebration in Jaipur.
For the hospitality industry, the Nov-Dec rush is particularly important as higher demand allows hotels to increase room tariffs and make up for the relatively lean summer months.The sharp decline in visitors from West Bengal has also taken some of the sheen off the market. Tourists from the state traditionally constitute an important segment of Rajasthan’s domestic tourist market, particularly around Diwali.“Rajasthan used to be a go-to destination for Bengali visitors. With many other states focusing on growing their destinations, and also increased flight connectivity to neighbouring countries, Rajasthan is no longer a top draw for them,” said an expert in the industry.Tourism players are now banking on the wedding season after Nov 20, followed by the winter holiday rush and foreign tourist arrivals, to revive demand.
