‘Festive travel’ shoes on: Industry hit by Covid hopes for promising season

Nearly a year and a half after a Covid-induced lockdown threw it off course, the travel industry seems to have weathered the worst, at least for now. The sector has witnessed a revival since the second wave ebbed, and with the long Janmashtami weekend coming up, hotel bookings in both popular and offbeat destinations are set to see an uptick during the festive season.
From hills in the north to beaches in the south, most places are already witnessing a return of tourists. Religious destinations and ones that are a short drive away from major cities are also seeing steady footfalls. With domestic tourism being the flavour of the season, even the newly-opened ITC WelcomHotel in Chail and Katra and Postcard Hotel’s Gir property are almost sold out. Properties like The Grand Dragon in Ladakh have received a huge boost, with hotel director Danish Din saying he is inundated with guests from across the country.
Vishal Lonkar, GM (brand development), Renest Hotels & Resorts, said domestic tourism had salvaged the battered Indian hospitality sector in the post-Covid era. “People are now keen to travel for a change of space to enjoy and work. We are witnessing a steady spike in bookings for weekend getaways and staycations. Leisure destinations like Manali are picking pace faster than the business centres, so we are focussing on expansion in tourist hotspots such as Goa and Jim Corbett,” he said.
Syed Junaid Altaf, MD, Empyrean Skyview Projects, said with Covid curbs easing, they are expecting a boom for local tourism. Katra has seen a 10% weekly growth rate in tourism and is now receiving over 5,000 pilgrims on a daily basis, he added. “Patnitop has seen the highest hotel occupancy, of about 70%, in the month of July in the past decade,” Altaf said, adding that the group expects good festive business at Skyview by Empyrean as well as its popular Skyview Gondola that transports tourists between Patnitop and Sanget.
Anil Chadha, COO, ITC Hotels said the chain is seeing an overall upswing in occupancy across the country. “Motorable holidays and hill destinations are seeing tremendous demand. Welcomhotel Shimla, Tavleen Chail and The Savoy in Mussoorie have clocked high occupancies and continue to draw guests. Welcomhotel Coimbatore and Welcomhotel Amritsar are witnessing a similar trend,” he said.
Ritu Mehrotra, regional manager (South Asia), Booking.com, said drivable destinations and road trips remain popular. Amanpreet Bajaj, GM, Airbnb India, Southeast Asia, also told TOI people are eager to book weekend getaways, from Delhi to the hills and Jaipur or from Mumbai to Lonavala, Mahabaleshwar and Alibag. A recent Airbnb survey found 69% of Indians were particularly interested in unique accommodations, such as heritage homes, farm stays, villas and havelis.
Rajeev Kale, president & country head, Thomas Cook (India) Ltd, said whether it is zip-lining in Ladakh, a special photo shoot and lunch at an apple orchard in Manali, or a sea cart ride in the Andamans, new experiences are finding favour with tourists. Value add-ons are also being offered, like a special festive menu or a unique Diwali celebration night on tour.
The upcoming festive season, especially the period of Durga Puja and Diwali, is already looking promising, said Daniel D’souza, president & country head, SOTC Travel. “Demand is primarily from family and extended family who prefer our group escorted tours or ad-hoc group products,” he said, listing Kashmir, Ladakh, Andamans and Goa as the most preferred domestic destinations.
Sabina Chopra, co-founder and COO, Yatra.com, said the festive season usually sees people looking for a quick and short respite or travelling to meet their friends and family. This time around, several customised packages are on offer. “We have witnessed a hike in booking inquiries by 15-20%. Travellers want to explore accommodations that are secluded and less commercial, such as homestays, cottages, tents and heritage properties. Destinations like Jaipur, Lonavala, Leh, Puducherry, Kamshet and Uttarakhand have seen an increase in queries,” she said.
Rahul Joshi, GM, Taj Hotel & Convention Centre, Agra, said queries are pouring in for September and October. “That is also the time when weather gets better and we move towards the high season for Agra. The growing demand for staycations, workcations and dining out in a safe and trusted ambience is clearly visible in the booking trends,” he told TOI.
Kush Kapoor, CEO, Roseate Hotels & Resorts, also revealed The Roseate Ganges is sold out for most of the weekends in September.
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