- Zostel opened Zostel Varanasi in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh.
- About 95 percent of Zostel guests are Gen Z and millennials.
- The opening aligns with Zostel’s strategy to expand into cultural travel.
ZOSTEL HOSPITALITY PVT. Ltd. opened Zostel Varanasi in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India. The property is in Bangali Tola near Dashashwamedh Ghat and serves spiritual travelers.
It offers programs including sunrise ghat walks, participation in the evening Ganga aarti, guided heritage explorations and neighborhood interactions, according to The Economic Times. The goal is to position the property as a base for engagement with the city rather than a transit stay.
“India’s sacred cities are being rediscovered by its youth. Varanasi is not a place you visit for convenience; it is a city that reshapes perspective,” said Aviral Gupta, CEO of Zostel and Zo World. “Our launch here reflects a strategic direction: investing in destinations that offer depth, cultural intensity and transformative experiences. The future of travel in India will belong to places that leave a lasting imprint.”
Zostel, founded in 2013 in Jodhpur, Rajasthan, operates more than 60 hostels across India. The company was co-founded by Dharamveer Singh Chouhan, Paavan Nanda, Akhil Malik, Tarun Tiwari, Chetan Singh Chauhan, Abhishek Bhutra and Siddharth Janghu. Zo World is the parent entity of Zostel and operates several travel and community platforms.
Internal 2025 booking data shows more than 95 percent of guests across Zostel’s spiritual destinations are Gen Z and millennials, while international visitors account for about 10 percent of demand.
The Varanasi opening follows Zostel’s expansion into Kufri, home to India’s highest pickleball court, The Economic Times reported. These launches align with Zostel’s 2026 strategy to expand into cultural travel markets beyond traditional urban centers.
The Government of Uttar Pradesh recently announced plans to spend more than $125 million to promote spiritual tourism. The investment follows a surge in travel, with the state recording nearly 1.22 billion tourist visits from January to June.
