With an increase in the number of long weekends in the first half of the year, the season has started off with a bang. With more destinations opening up for India market, the aspiration for Indians to travel more has only been boosted topped up with these holidays. The season has been robust for the industry, with a lot of travellers opting for offbeat travel apart from the traditional destinations.
Speaking about the growth this season Karan Anand, Head, relationships, Cox & Kings said, “The season is underway and we are witnessing robust growth in the outbound market. The Indian outbound market is growing at an average of 15-17 per cent and I am of the opinion that with more destinations opening up to the Indian market, there will be many more opportunities for the Indian traveller.”
Today, short haul destinations for the India market are becoming weekend getaways. A lot of repeat clients are considering destinations within five hours of travel times as the new weekend destinations. “The extended weekends has resulted in a significant uptake in domestic and international travel bookings at Travel Tours. Indian travellers are opting for international destinations like Scandinavia and Scotland to embrace the chills and Bali and Maldives to relax and rejuvenate at the scenic beaches. Short-haul and easy-visa destinations such as Singapore, Thailand, Hong Kong and Sri Lanka have also seeing an upswing,” Rakshit Desai, Managing Director, FCM Travel Solutions – Indian Subsidiary of Flight Centre Travel Group, Australia said,.
Last month, there was an extended weekend wherein the company has witnessed a 35 per cent growth in bookings. “This weekend has particular been a super busy time to travel owing to summer vacations. As compared to last year, this time, we have seen a rise of 35 per cent in bookings to such destinations,” Desai informed.
With a phenomenal rise in outbound from India; travellers are now looking at quirky and offbeat destinations. Daniel D’souza- Head of Sales, India & NRI Markets & E-Commerce, SOTC Travel said, “SOTC has witnessed the busiest time of the year with peak booking season with queries and bookings for Domestic and International destinations this summer. Indian travellers seek for immersive travel experiences. Popular activities are self drive, adventure & outdoor experiences like white water rafting and scuba diving are seeing huge demand from travellers this season. More and more travellers are seeking new and authentic experiences this summer. Indian Travellers is very value driven and are slowly getting bored with the traditional, readymade package holidays. The new trend is the innovative ‘Dynamic packaged holiday in order to attract more cost-conscious and variety-loving customers.”
Echoing similar opinion Anand said that this year they see a trend where Indians are spending more time at a destination in order to soak in the local culture and experience the local cuisine. He further added, “Europe continues to be the top favourite amongst Indian tourists and we see a significant rise in Indians travelling overseas for a holiday this year. This trend confirms the belief that Indians are now looking for immersive travel experiences without missing out on popular tourist attractions when travelling on a holiday. Apart from regular sightseeing travellers are seeking immersive experiences such as enjoying views of Paris from the River Seine Cruise, exploring Amsterdam through the canals, wandering through the fanciest shopping street in Zurich – Bahnhofstrasse, visit to a malt whisky distillery in Edinburgh and experience Toledo- a cultural melting pot renowned for its harmonious combination of three cultures of Christian, Muslim and Jewish.”
According to D’souza the destinations on the rise for this season has been Hungary and Czech Republic. “Top global destinations include East Europe, Italy, Switzerland, France, South Africa, South America, Australia and Korea. Japan is emerging as an untraditional multigenerational family travel destination. Short haul international destinations like Dubai, Thailand, Singapore, Bali, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Sri Lanka and Bhutan are popular this summer,” he added.
