Hotel Demand Calendar India 2026

Peak dates, wedding muhurat, long weekends & festival demand, personalised for your hotel

14
Long Weekends
17
National Holidays
25+
Major Festivals
85+
Wedding Muhurat Days
Revenue Tip: Hotels that mark up rates 3–4 weeks before long weekends capture 20–40% more revenue. Wedding season (Nov–Feb, Apr–Jun) drives 30–50% higher demand at destination properties. Plan ahead.

Long Weekends & Peak Holiday Windows 2026

Prime opportunities for premium pricing, guests book 3–4 day stays during these windows

Wedding Muhurat Dates 2026

Auspicious wedding dates based on Hindu Panchang, peak demand for destination weddings, banquets & group bookings

January 2026, Peak Season

12 Muhurat Days
  • Jan 18, 19, 20, 21 (Sun–Wed)
  • Jan 23, 25, 26, 27 (Fri–Tue)
  • Jan 29, 30, 31 (Thu–Sat)
Post Makar Sankranti, very auspicious period

February 2026, Peak Season

14 Muhurat Days
  • Feb 1, 2, 4, 5, 6 (Sun–Fri)
  • Feb 8, 9, 11, 12, 13 (Sun–Fri)
  • Feb 15, 16, 19, 20 (Sun–Thu)
Before Maha Shivratri, premium wedding window

March 2026, Limited

Holashtak Period
  • Mar 1, 2, 8 (before Holi)
  • No muhurats during Holashtak (Mar 9–17)
Avoid Holi period, lower wedding demand

April 2026, Season Starts

10 Muhurat Days
  • Apr 16, 17, 19, 20 (Thu–Mon)
  • Apr 22, 23, 24, 26 (Wed–Sun)
  • Apr 28, 29 (Tue–Wed)
Akshaya Tritiya Apr 26, most auspicious day

May 2026, Peak Season

15 Muhurat Days
  • May 1, 3, 4, 6, 7 (Fri–Thu)
  • May 10, 11, 13, 14, 15 (Sun–Fri)
  • May 17, 18, 20, 21, 22 (Sun–Fri)
Before summer heat, very high demand

June 2026

8 Muhurat Days
  • Jun 1, 3, 4, 5 (Mon–Fri)
  • Jun 7, 8, 10, 11 (Sun–Thu)
Before monsoon, last window until Nov

July – October 2026

Chaturmas, No Muhurats
Monsoon & Shraddh period. Very few weddings. Focus on business and leisure travel.

November 2026, Season Resumes

12 Muhurat Days
  • Nov 9, 11, 12, 13, Post Diwali
  • Nov 18, 19, 20, 22 (Wed–Sun)
  • Nov 25, 26, 27, 29 (Wed–Sun)
Dev Uthani Ekadashi onwards, premium rates

December 2026, Peak Season

10 Muhurat Days
  • Dec 1, 2, 3, 4 (Tue–Fri)
  • Dec 6, 7, 9, 10 (Sun–Thu)
  • Dec 13, 14 (Sun–Mon)
Destination wedding peak + Christmas tourism

Regional Wedding Patterns

North India

Peak: Nov–Feb, Apr–Jun

Avoid: Sawan (Jul–Aug), Pitru Paksha (Sep)

Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, UP, Rajasthan

South India

Peak: Jan–Feb, May–Jun, Nov–Dec

Tamil weddings follow a different calendar

Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala, Andhra, Telangana

West India

Peak: Nov–Feb, Apr–May

Gujaratis prefer Kartik & Vaishakh months

Maharashtra, Gujarat, Goa

East India

Peak: Nov–Feb, May–Jun

Bengali weddings peak in specific tithis

West Bengal, Odisha, Bihar, Jharkhand

Monthly Holiday Calendar 2026

All national holidays, festivals, long weekends and wedding seasons month by month

January 2026

  • Jan 1New Year's DayHoliday
  • Jan 14Makar Sankranti / PongalFestival
  • Jan 24–26Republic Day WeekendLong Weekend
  • Jan 18–31Wedding Season PeakWedding

February 2026

  • Feb 1–20Wedding Season PeakWedding
  • Feb 2Vasant PanchamiFestival
  • Feb 26Maha ShivratriFestival

March 2026

  • Mar 14–17Holi Long WeekendLong Weekend
  • Mar 16–17HoliFestival
  • Mar 22Ugadi / Gudi PadwaRegional

April 2026

  • Apr 2Ram NavamiFestival
  • Apr 3–5Good Friday WeekendLong Weekend
  • Apr 10Mahavir JayantiFestival
  • Apr 13BaisakhiRegional
  • Apr 14Ambedkar JayantiHoliday
  • Apr 26Akshaya TritiyaFestival
  • Apr 16–29Wedding SeasonWedding

May 2026

  • May 1–3May Day Long WeekendLong Weekend
  • May 12Buddha PurnimaFestival
  • May 1–22Peak Wedding SeasonWedding
  • All MonthSummer VacationPeak Season

June 2026

  • Jun 1–11Last Wedding WindowWedding
  • Jun 17Eid-ul-Adha (tentative)Festival
  • Jun 23Rath YatraRegional

July 2026

  • Jul 7Muharram (tentative)Festival
  • All MonthChaturmas, No WeddingsOff Season

Monsoon season, lower leisure, focus on business

August 2026

  • Aug 3Raksha BandhanFestival
  • Aug 14JanmashtamiFestival
  • Aug 14–16Independence Day WeekendLong Weekend
  • Aug 15Independence DayHoliday

September 2026

  • Sep 6Milad-un-Nabi (tentative)Festival
  • Sep 10–24Pitru Paksha, No WeddingsOff Season

End of monsoon, travel picks up late month

October 2026

  • Sep 25–Oct 3NavratriFestival
  • Oct 2–4Dussehra Long WeekendLong Weekend
  • Oct 2Gandhi JayantiHoliday
  • Oct 3DussehraFestival
  • Oct 17–21Diwali WeekPeak Week
  • Oct 20DiwaliFestival

November 2026

  • Nov 4Guru Nanak JayantiFestival
  • Nov 8Dev Uthani EkadashiFestival
  • Nov 9–29Wedding Season StartsWedding
  • Nov 14Children's DayHoliday

December 2026

  • Dec 1–14Peak Wedding SeasonWedding
  • Dec 25–27Christmas WeekendLong Weekend
  • Dec 25ChristmasHoliday
  • Dec 20–Jan 5Winter Holiday SeasonPeak Season
  • Dec 31New Year's EveFestival

Your Personalised Demand Calendar

Select your state and hotel type to see demand events most relevant to your property

Upcoming Demand Events

What is a Hotel Demand Calendar?

A revenue management reference every Indian hotel should build and use year-round

A hotel demand calendar is a revenue management tool that maps all high-demand dates across the year, public holidays, long weekends, festival windows, wedding seasons, and local events, so hotels can plan pricing, inventory, and promotions well in advance.

In India, demand is highly seasonal and event-driven. A hotel in Rajasthan has very different peak dates than one in Kerala or the hills of Himachal Pradesh. This is why personalising your demand calendar by state and hotel type matters, national holidays affect every hotel, but regional festivals, pilgrimage surges, and travel patterns vary significantly.

When Should You Raise Hotel Room Rates in India?

As a general rule, rate adjustments should happen 4–6 weeks before peak dates, not the week before. Here's how to think about it by demand level:

  • Peak events (Diwali, Christmas–New Year's, Holi): Raise rates 40–60 days out. Apply 30–45% markup above your base rate. Set MLOS (minimum length of stay) of 2–3 nights. Consider stop-sell on high-commission OTA channels at 85%+ occupancy.
  • Long weekends (Republic Day, May Day, Good Friday): Raise rates 3–4 weeks out. 20–35% markup. Monitor pickup daily; increase further if filling fast.
  • Wedding season (Nov–Feb, Apr–Jun): Block group hold inventory early. Individual room rates can go 25–40% above BAR on muhurat dates. Adjust F&B and banquet rates accordingly.
  • Regional festivals and events: Varies by location. Navratri in Gujarat, Durga Puja in Kolkata, Onam in Kerala. These can be stronger than national holidays for local hotels.

For a full dynamic pricing setup, use our Revenue Management Setup Tool. To understand how OTAs handle your rates during peak season, read our guide on what an OTA is and how ADR changes with demand.

Related Tools & Guides

Revenue Management Setup

Build your pricing playbook

Competitor Rate Tool

See where your rate sits

BAR Explained

Setting your best available rate

Hotel Rate Plans

EP, CP, MAP and AP explained

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the peak season dates for hotels in India in 2026?
India's hotel peak seasons in 2026 are: October–December (Diwali week Oct 17–21, Christmas Dec 25–27, New Year's Eve), January–February (Republic Day, wedding season peak), March–April (Holi long weekend Mar 14–17), and May (summer vacation peak for hill stations and beach resorts). Hotels typically see 25–45% demand surges during these windows. According to ICRA, pan-India premium hotel occupancy is forecast at 72–74% for FY2026.
When is wedding season in India and how does it affect hotel demand?
India's wedding season runs in two main windows: November to February (primary peak, post Chaturmas and post Diwali) and April to June (secondary peak, pre-monsoon). Wedding season drives 30–50% higher demand at destination hotels and resorts. ADR during peak muhurat dates can rise 28–46% above off-peak. There are effectively no Hindu wedding muhurats during Chaturmas (July–October) and Pitru Paksha (September), so leisure and business travel become the primary focus for hotels during these months.
What are the long weekends in India in 2026?
Key long weekends in India 2026: Republic Day (Jan 24–26, 3 days), Holi (Mar 14–17, 4 days), Good Friday (Apr 3–5, 3 days), May Day (May 1–3, 3 days), Independence Day (Aug 14–16, 3 days), Dussehra (Oct 2–4, 3 days), Diwali Week (Oct 17–21, 5 days), and Christmas (Dec 25–27, 3 days). Hotels should set premium rates and minimum stay policies at least 4–6 weeks before each window. Use the Long Weekends tab above to see demand uplift percentages for each date.
How much should I raise hotel rates during peak season in India?
A typical markup framework: 15–25% above BAR for standard long weekends, 30–45% for major festival windows (Diwali, Holi), and 40–60% for premium events (Christmas + New Year's, destination wedding muhurats). Hotels that adjust rates 3–4 weeks in advance capture 20–40% more revenue versus last-minute pricing. Pair rate increases with minimum stay requirements (2 nights minimum is common) to maximise total revenue per booking. Learn more about ADR optimisation and RevPAR improvement strategies.
How does a demand calendar work with OTA channel management?
A demand calendar tells you when to act. Your channel manager is how you act across all OTAs simultaneously. During peak dates: (1) close deep discount rates across all channels, (2) push rate increases to MakeMyTrip, Booking.com, Goibibo in one update, (3) consider stop-sell on high-commission channels when occupancy exceeds 80%, (4) keep direct booking rates as the best available. Understanding the OTA commission structure helps you decide which channels to prioritise during high-demand periods.
Does the demand calendar apply to all hotel types: budget, resort, pilgrimage?
No, peak dates vary significantly by hotel type. A business hotel in a metro sees midweek demand and suffers on long weekends when corporate travel drops. A hill station hotel peaks in May–June and again in October. A pilgrimage hotel in Varanasi, Tirupati, or Amritsar has year-round demand driven by religious calendars. A beach resort peaks in October–February. Use the Your Demand Calendar tab above, select your state and hotel type to see only the events most relevant to your property.