Panaji, Nov 4 (IANS): Goa is the top destination in India for tourists keen on holidaying during the Diwali vacation, a statement issued by OYO, one of the largest chains of hotels and room rentals in South Asia, said on Saturday.

An analysis of pre-bookings for the upcoming Diwali period carried out by OYO, has revealed a jump of 179 per cent in bookings of hotel rooms in Goa on a year-on-year basis.

"An analysis by OYO reveals that pre-bookings during the Diwali period in Goa have increased by 179 per cent on a year-on-year (YoY) basis," the statement said.

"The data further revealed that Goa is the top destination among travelers receiving the highest bookings this Diwali followed by Jaipur, Delhi, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Nainital, and Udaipur," a statement issued by OYO Rooms said.

"Calangute and Baga are the top locations where travelers are planning to spend their Diwali holiday while North Goa is the preferred hub over South Goa," the statement said.

Goa is the top beach tourism destination in the country and attracts more than seven million tourists every year, out of which half a million are foreigners.