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Discover why Indians are flocking to snowy destinations like Gulmarg, Auli, Manali for winter 2025–26, and how cashless payments from UPI to tap-and-pay cards are reshaping travel
Travellers enjoy the magic of India’s snow destinations as cashless payments make winter holidays smoother than ever.
India’s winter travel landscape is undergoing a striking transformation. As temperatures drop, traveller interest is rising particularly for destinations blanketed in snow. But alongside this surge in demand for winter wonderlands, another trend has quietly but powerfully reshaped how Indians holiday: the complete embrace of cashless travel.
A Renewed Love for Snow-Draped Destinations
Ravi Gosain, President of IATO, feels winter 2025–26 is seeing travellers return to classic snowy retreats with even greater enthusiasm. “Indians are moving towards Gulmarg, Auli, Manali, Shimla, and Ladakh wherever they can be sure there will be snow at the turn of the year,” he notes.
The skiing slopes of Gulmarg, Auli’s powder-soft terrain, and Manali’s white December mountains are once again among the most sought-after holiday spots. Families and adventure travellers make up a large share of this surge, reflecting a 30% year-over-year rise in interest for cold-weather destinations between December 2025 and February 2026.
But while travellers are flocking to these landscapes for their natural beauty, they are experiencing them through a completely modern lens.
Cashless Convenience: The Quiet Revolution
What was once optional has now become essential. “Cashless travel that was previously an option is now a necessity,” says Gosain, highlighting how UPI and tap-and-pay cards have become the default method of payment across winter hotspots, whether one is renting ski equipment in Gulmarg or buying gondola tickets in Auli.
This seamlessness is echoed by Mukesh Pandey, Director, Rupyaa Paisa, who believes the biggest innovation this winter is not destination-driven but payment-driven. “The winter of 2025–26 has travellers relying on credit cards and contactless payments for a smooth, cashless city escape,” he says. Citing RBI data, he points out that digital payments now account for 99.8% of India’s total payment volume.
Pandey adds that credit options also protect travellers from currency fluctuations and overspending. “In 2025–26, the ultimate luxury is not just snow, it’s the comfort of a cash-free trip,” he emphasizes.
A Fully Digital Travel Ecosystem
Taking the conversation further, Rohit Mahajan, Founder & Managing Partner, plutosONE, describes the winter of 2025 as a pivotal moment for digital-first tourism in India. “Planning for a holiday does not involve cash. Hotel bookings, flights, shopping, dining, transport, guided tours, everything is routine and fully digital,” he explains.
The scale of India’s digital shift is staggering:
UPI recorded 20.7 billion transactions worth ₹27.28 lakh crore in October 2025, according to NPCI.
Bharat Connect reports bill-payment volumes of ₹1,37,639 crore, further illustrating how deeply digital payments now anchor mobility and tourism.
Mahajan notes that the move towards a fully cashless travel ecosystem is not just a convenience trend but a national trajectory, one that promises “better, safer, faster, and transparent ways of spending.”
A New Era of Hassle-Free Winter Holidays
As India embraces digital-first tourism, winter escapes have become easier to plan and experience. Powered by UPI and the rise of seamless digital payments, snowy holidays now offer more adventure with less hassle and no dependence on cash.
The magic of winter may still lie in snowflakes, but the comfort behind every trip today lies in something far more modern: the ease of a cashless journey.
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November 25, 2025, 11:44 IST