Republic Day weekend boosts travel bookings to Goa, Rajasthan, Thailand
The upcoming Republic Day long weekend has sparked a surge in travel bookings for both domestic and international destinations. Popular spots such as Goa, Rajasthan, Amritsar, Thailand, and Dubai are experiencing increased demand. According to travel industry insiders, many people who missed out on holiday trips during Christmas and New Year's are now planning short vacations in full swing.
Domestic destinations witnessing massive footfall
Rajeev Kale - president and country head, Holidays, MICE, Visa - Thomas Cook (India) Limited told NewsBytes that their "customers are opting for popular winter destinations like Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, Kerala, the Northeast, Goa, and the Andamans." He also mentioned that a noteworthy trend is the unique combinations or inclusions being selected by customers currently - a spiritual trip to the Golden Temple in Amritsar with a local meal and a stay in a farmhouse, for example.
Popular short haul outbound destinations include Thailand, Dubai, Indonesia, Vietnam
Kale further added that people are also preferring to travel abroad during the upcoming Republic Day long weekend. "Short haul outbound destinations like Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, Cambodia, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Singapore, Malaysia are witnessing demand for this extended weekend," he stated. Experts attribute this trend to the fact that several nations are currently offering visa-free travel options for Indians.
Increased enquiries for Indian beaches after Maldives-Lakshwadweep row
According to a report published by the Times of India, many people have lately been inquiring about beach destinations in India like Kochi in Kerala and Puducherry in Tamil Nadu in the wake of the Maldives-Lakshadweep row. Daniel D'Souza, president and country head - Holidays, SOTC Travel shared with NewsBytes, "Goa and Andaman continue to be a favourite beach destination," since many are planning to travel to these two destination this long weekend.
The travel industry is booming right now
Kale shared that due to the fact that Republic Day is falling this year on a Friday, travelers are taking advantage of the extended weekend. He also mentioned that the travel industry is seeing strong demand—up more than 25% year over year—for both domestic and closer-to-home destinations. This increase in travel continues to grow despite seveal flights and trains being cancelled owing to visibility issues this winter.
Multigenerational families, Gen Z among the top segments driving demand
"The upcoming Republic Day offers an attractive long weekend. Our data indicates an uptick of 25-30% vs. last year. Segments driving demand include multigenerational families, groups of friends, DINKs (Dual income, no kids), and Gen Z," says D'Souza.
Airfares from popular routes have noticed a surge
Indiver Rastogi, president and group head, Global Business Travel, Thomas Cook (India) and SOTC Travel, revealed that the cost of flights on popular routes has increased by around 10-20% over the previous year. "These routes connect major cities like Chandigarh, Srinagar, Japiur, Dehradun, Pondicherry, Bagdogra, Goa, and Port Blair with hubs like Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai, and Kochi," added Rastogi. Airfares to easy visa/free visa destinations including Kuala Lumpur, Bali, and Hong Kong have increased by 10-15%.
