With a significant fall in Covid cases and many countries worldwide easing travel restrictions, there has been a rise in travel enthusiasm as people are eager to step out again, and this is expected to grow multi-fold as the upcoming long weekend of Holi is upon us.
“With the resumption of international travel and the growing trend of last-minute travel bookings, the demand is set to surge further in the coming days. There has been a strong growth since the start of the year as travel bookings have witnessed a jump of around 30 per cent on a month on month basis,” observed Nishant Pitti, CEO and co-founder, EaseMyTrip.
According to the travel booking portal’s data:
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-There has been a 40-50 per cent jump in advance air ticket bookings across India for the long weekend of Holi, as compared to the same period last year.
-Bookings to and from states such as Goa, Kashmir, Himachal, have witnessed a rise of 40 per cent in bookings.
-International destinations such as Dubai and Sri Lanka have also witnessed an increase in demand for this long weekend.
-There has also been a 20 per cent rise in airfares during this period due to the strong travel demand and rising fuel costs.
-Travellers are showing a strong preference for five-star hotels during this period, which can mainly be attributed to the growing requirement for higher standards of sanitisation.
-There has been a rise in last-minute travel bookings during this period, and this trend is set to grow further in the coming months as people are still cognisant about new pandemic waves.
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-The average age of travellers travelling to these destinations during the long weekend ranges from 25 – 40 years. A significant segment of these travellers hails from North India.
-Approximately 30-40 per cent of travellers are opting for flexible bookings and cancellation policies or refund measures while making bookings.
Pitti further added that “We have witnessed a 50 per cent jump in air ticket bookings for this long weekend, which has been further supported by the easing of travel restrictions. The travel sentiment is strongly reviving as we are witnessing an increasing demand for offbeat and international destinations, which is an optimistic step towards complete travel normalcy. This momentum will continue further as we are expecting the pent-up travel demand to sustain for the whole year, which will contribute to the much-needed revival of the sector.”
