Bhubaneswar: A visit to the temple or relatives, a shopping trip, or a journey to a hospital may be some of the reasons why people step out of home and return the same day. But in Odisha, fewer households reported making such trips in 2025–26 than they did a decade ago, according to two National Statistics Office (NSO) surveys.NSO recently released ‘Domestic Tourism in India’ report based on the domestic tourism expenditure survey conducted between July 2025 and June 2026 under the 80th round of the National Sample Survey. It examines same-day trips, travel purposes, transport, accommodation and expenditure, among other things.The survey defines a same-day trip as a journey outside a household member’s usual environment, followed by a return home without an overnight stay. It need not necessarily begin and end on the same calendar day.The last comparable survey, conducted between July 2014 and June 2015, found that 73.2% of households in Odisha had undertaken at least one such trip in the preceding 30 days. In 2025–26, the share fell to 54.9%.The trend in Odisha runs counter to the national pattern. Across India, the proportion of households reporting same-day travel rose from 51.7% in 2014–15 to 58.2% in 2025–26. Odisha, which was well above the national average a decade ago, has now slipped slightly below it.The decline was evident in both rural and urban areas, but was sharper in urban Odisha. In rural areas, the share of households reporting at least one same-day trip fell from 74.6% to 57.1%. In urban areas, it dropped from 66.8% to 46.1%.Nationally, the trend moved in the opposite direction. Rural household participation increased from 57.1% to 65.1%, while the urban share rose from 40.6% to 46.2%.The earlier survey offered an insight into why people travelled. Shopping accounted for around 40% of estimated same-day trips in Odisha in 2014–15, followed by social visits at 31.4% and health and medical visits at 16.9%. Religious trips and pilgrimages accounted for about 4.3%, while business-related travel made up 3.8%.These figures highlighted the role of short trips in meeting everyday needs, from shopping and visiting relatives to seeking medical care. The latest report, however, does not establish the specific reasons for the decline in Odisha. Nationally, social visits and shopping remained the two most frequently undertaken categories of same-day trips among both rural and urban households.Economist Amarendra Das said the decline in Odisha could not be explained simply by financial constraints, mobility barriers or transport costs. He attributed the changing travel pattern partly to better access to essential services and the growing use of digital platforms.“One reason behind this shift is easy access to essential services, particularly in rural areas. Odisha households are travelling less because everyday needs are closer to home now. Most importantly, everything is online as far as daily needs, essential services and governance are concerned. People from rural areas earlier had to travel to a city to book a train or bus ticket or even deposit or withdraw cash from a bank. They no longer have to do it. Medical reasons may be an exception in some areas,” Das said.He also pointed to migration for work and education as a possible factor, with people increasingly settling where they find employment or students moving to places where they secure admission. However, Das said same-day travel for tourism and religious purposes continued.
