Strong bookings for spiritual hubs, short haul international destinations: Travel portals – ET TravelWorld

Leisure getaways are experiencing high demand this Holi as bookings surge for spiritual and cultural hubs in the country and short-haul destinations internationally, according to data from online travel platforms. “Indian travellers are increasingly seizing every opportunity for leisure travel, and the upcoming Holi long weekend provides the perfect occasion for this. The demand for premium stays remains strong, with the booking share of properties priced above INR 4,500 per night rising compared to last year,” MakeMyTrip co-founder and Group CEO Rajesh Magow said.

Bookings for accommodations in cultural hubs like Jaipur and Udaipur, temple towns like Amritsar, Varanasi, Ujjain, and Madurai, and beach destinations like Pondicherry, Alibaug, and Mandarmani show steady growth, he said, referring to the data from the travel portal.

According to MakeMyTrip data, drive-cation destinations such as Jim Corbett, Rishikesh, Mussoorie, Mahabaleshwar, and Coorg are also experiencing strong demand.

“Internationally, we are observing the highest growth in short-haul destinations like Vietnam, Malaysia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia. The increase in short-haul travel can be attributed, in part, to the conclusion of board exams in many parts of India,” he added.

Meanwhile, Ixigo Group co-CEO Rajnish Kumar said this Holi season, there is an average 45-50 per cent year-on-year increase in flight bookings, driven by a mix of homebound travel, leisure getaways, and spiritual tourism.

“Cultural hotspots are witnessing a surge in demand this Holi. Flight bookings to Ayodhya have skyrocketed by 50 per cent YoY for Holi, while Varanasi and Amritsar have seen a 20-30 per cent YoY increase. Tier II and III cities are witnessing a surge in flight bookings for the Holi weekend, with Gorakhpur seeing the highest increase at 154 per cent year-on-year,” he said, quoting data from the Ixigo platform.

With airlines rolling out attractive discounts, it is a great opportunity for travellers to book their trips at affordable fares, he noted.

Travellers are also making the most of the Holi long weekend to visit short-haul international destinations, such as Abu Dhabi, which is witnessing a 146 per cent year-on-year rise, followed by Bangkok and Singapore at 38 per cent and 40 per cent, respectively.

“Among domestic leisure getaways, Andaman and Nicobar Islands have emerged as the top pick for travellers this Holi,” Kumar added.