Fri Feb 21 14:25:19 UTC 2025: ## OYO Clarifies Controversial Ad Promoting Religious Tourism
**NEW DELHI –** Travel technology company OYO faced a social media backlash Friday over a newspaper advertisement promoting its services in various Indian pilgrimage sites. The ad, featuring the tagline “God is Everywhere. And so is OYO,” sparked outrage among users on X (formerly Twitter) who criticized it as insensitive.
OYO swiftly issued a statement clarifying that the advertisement’s intent was to promote religious tourism in India and that the company had no intention of causing offense. The company emphasized its respect for India’s diverse religious beliefs and its commitment to enhancing the experience of spiritual tourism. The advertisement highlighted OYO’s presence in several prominent pilgrimage destinations, including Ajmer, Ayodhya, Varanasi, and Amritsar.
The company further announced plans to expand its presence in these locations, adding 500 hotels across 12 major pilgrimage sites by the year’s end. Despite the initial negative reaction, OYO maintains its focus on catering to the growing number of Indians undertaking religious travel.
First Piper 