The heavy Holi rush and the extended weekend made Pushkar a sold-out destination in the state, even as leading tourist cities and towns were content with the staple flow of visitors. The local hospitality industry in the holy town, which traditionally attracts large crowds for Holi celebrations, said that the high demand for hotels raised room rates by 25-30 per cent during the period.

Though the growth of domestic travellers visiting the destinations in the state was marginal, the presence of a large number of foreign tourists came as a silver lining for the industry. Rajendra Singh Pachar, Vice-President of the Federation of Hospitality and Tourism of Rajasthan, said, "Pushkar attracted a record number of tourists during Holi and the ensuing weekend. All hotels were sold out. Responding to the demand, room rates also increased by 25-30 per cent."

Currently, Pushkar has about 25 luxury resort properties and around 60-star category hotels. The idyllic, rural landscape around the holy town has been a big draw for tourists looking for countryside experiences. Pachar said, "Investors are very optimistic about future growth. The fact that around 5-6 luxury resort properties are under construction reflects that optimism."

However, other destinations in the state failed to witness the same buoyancy in tourist arrivals. But the industry said the inflow of foreign tourists increased noticeably during March. Sanjay Kaushik, Director of Rajputana Holiday Makers, said, "It's a good sign that foreign tourist arrivals in Rajasthan are growing again. Their absence after Covid was a nasty impact on destinations like Mandawa that depended on inbound tourists." Kaushik said that currently, they are organising tours for 100 French tourists in Rajasthan.

Industry representatives said that the stock market slump and the pull of Ayodhya and Prayagraj are likely factors for the subdued growth in tourist arrivals to the state. Husain Khan, President of the Hotel Federation of Rajasthan, said, "When markets do well, people have surplus money to spend on travel. So, th current market crash could be a factor for the slack in tourist movement. Secondly, Ayodhya and Prayagraj continue to draw a large number of tourists, diverting some from Rajasthan."