Rajasthan Tourism - October 2026: Jodhpur Folk Music Festival, Safari Reopening And More

Jodhpur RIFF turned 20, tiger safaris reopened and RDTM's trade numbers came in, while a new hotel report warned of crowded supply as Rajasthan courts smaller destinations.

October marks the start of Rajasthan's tourist season, and this one opened with music, tigers, and trade figures. No major policy announcement landed, so the month's real story lies in what the events showed and what national reports said about Rajasthan Tourism’s road ahead.

Jodhpur Rings in Festival Season

Jodhpur RIFF marked its 20th edition at Mehrangarh Fort from October 22 to 26, timed with Sharad Purnima and run by the Mehrangarh Museum Trust. Organisers billed more than 250 folk musicians from Rajasthani communities such as the Manganiyar, Langa and Kalbelia, artists from about a dozen countries, 120 young performers trained under the Trust's Folk Futures programme, and spoken theatre for the first time.

The Marwar Festival's listed dates, October 24–25, overlapped, giving Jodhpur hotels and guides a busy week.

Safari Gates Reopen

The monsoon closure ended on October 1, when Sariska reopened to tourists. Ranthambore's core zones also reopened that day, according to a release from JW Marriott, whose new Ranthambore resort is its 11th in India and starts its first full safari season this month. September's CBRE-ASSOCHAM report had already named wildlife lodges near Ranthambore as a promising investment niche, and this season is the first real test of that claim.

RDTM Puts Numbers on the Table

Trade-press reports on October 9 put figures on the Rajasthan Domestic Travel Mart, held in Jaipur in September: about 300 buyers from across India, more than 700 Rajasthan businesses, nearly 160 pavilions and over 21,000 B2B meetings scheduled. It was the first edition with a dedicated platform for wedding planners and the events trade.

Tourism Secretary Shuchi Tyagi named weddings, rural tourism, wildlife, wellness, adventure, spiritual travel, monsoon tourism and MICE as growth areas, and Tourism Commissioner Rukmani Riar said future editions could move to other districts. A Times of India report said the department will back a third mart, in Udaipur, alongside Jaipur and Jodhpur, over a proposed follow-up to January's Kota mart.

The minister separately sanctioned ₹20 lakh for Kota, against ₹1.18 crore for its first edition. Former tourism secretary Lalit K Panwar called the crowding at Jaipur, Udaipur and Jaisalmer a form of overtourism.

Abhaneri, Udaipur Flights and Industrial Land

Smaller stories showed where visitors and money are heading.

·        Abhaneri in Dausa, home to the Chand Baori stepwell, logged 80,181 visits in January–June, and 36,041 of them, nearly 45 per cent, were foreign. The village's two-day festival wrapped up earlier this month with folk acts and craft demonstrations.

·        On October 15, Akasa Air began daily Udaipur flights to Mumbai and Bengaluru, its second Rajasthan station after Jaipur.

·        RIICO's September 30 e-auction drew 128 investors for 12 plots covering about 391 acres and raised ₹569 crore, with two tourism plots at Maal ki Toos, Udaipur, drawing about 68 bidders.

·        IRCTC's 12-day Bharat Gaurav train from Solapur, covering Udaipur, Pushkar, Jodhpur, Jaipur and Khatu Shyam, was scheduled to leave on October 21.

Heritage: Adoption List Waits, UNESCO Clock Runs

No Cabinet decision on the Adopt a Heritage list of 15 forts, palaces and stepwells had been reported by month-end. A firmer date turned up elsewhere. UNESCO's World Heritage Committee has asked India for an updated conservation report on the Hill Forts of Rajasthan by December 1, 2026, for review at its 49th session.

The two files overlap: Gagron Fort in Jhalawar is on the adoption list and is also one of the six forts in that UNESCO property. How the state handles private help at such sites will be watched closely. Nothing new surfaced on RTDC hotel leases or sales.

India Gets a Global Stage, and Hotels Get a Warning

On October 9, the World Travel & Tourism Council said it will hold its 2027 WTTC Global Summit in New Delhi, chosen from more than 20 bidding destinations. Dates and venue are not out. India last hosted the gathering in 2005.

Inbound data gave the host some backing. Ministry of Tourism figures for August, covered again by aviation outlet CAPA on October 19, put foreign tourist arrivals at about 6.91 lakh, up 10.6 per cent from 6.25 lakh a year earlier and the strongest monthly growth in over two years, led by Bangladesh and China. That cuts against the 2025 dip reported last month.

The caution came on October 21, when Hotelivate-Savills' annual report showed national room rates up 6.4 per cent to ₹8,962 and revenue per room up 6.2 per cent. Supply growth slowed to 5.8 per cent and demand growth to 5.6 per cent, with demand trailing supply for the first time since 2020-21.

About 1.61 lakh branded rooms are proposed, roughly 77 per cent of the existing 2.09 lakh, and almost four in five sit outside the biggest metros. Jaipur has 6,684 rooms proposed against 8,501 now. Rajasthan's push into lesser-known circuits and mid-market hotels will have to earn its occupancy.

Festive demand told a mixed story. Business Standard reported on October 31 that a weaker rupee has made foreign trips 20–30 per cent costlier, nudging travellers toward domestic breaks, though Ixigo's chairman said festive demand ran a shade below expectations. Cleartrip named Udaipur and Jaipur among its fastest-growing hotel destinations. Rajasthan, with 230.08 million domestic visits in 2024, is pushing Bundi, Kota, Jhalawar, Dungarpur and Banswara.

What's Coming Next

Dhanteras falls on November 6 and Diwali on November 8, the first festive test of hotel demand after the October reopening. The Pushkar Camel Fair runs November 17–24 on Rajasthan Tourism's fairs listing, ending with the Kartik Purnima holy dip on November 24.

The Mount Abu Winter Festival follows in November–December, and the second Pravasi Rajasthani Diwas is set for December 10 at the Jaipur Exhibition and Convention Centre, with tourism among its session areas.

Behind the festivals sit three open items: the Cabinet call on the adoption list, the UNESCO report due December 1, and the WTTC summit dates. Further out, Jaipur turns 300 on November 18, 2027, and Deputy CM Diya Kumari said earlier this year that special events should mark it.

Bottom Line By Fort In Rajasthan

October gave Rajasthan a strong start to the season and a useful reality check. Festivals, safaris and trade meetings drew attention to the state's wider map, while the hotel report reminded everyone that new rooms need guests. November will show whether demand keeps pace.