Medical trips drive over a third of overnight travel in rural India
A new tourism survey shows that 38.4% of overnight trips by rural Indians are made for medical treatment, far exceeding the share in urban areas.
The National Statistics Office's 80th round of the domestic tourism expenditure survey, covering July 2025 to June 2026, found that health-related journeys account for 38.4% of overnight travel among rural households, compared with less than half that proportion in cities. Leisure travel makes up only 12.5% of rural trips versus 36.4% in urban areas. Rural families spend an average of ₹29,454 per health trip, with 75% of the expense going to treatment and medicines, while government reimbursements cover just 8.2% of the cost.
