New Delhi: As the country reels under the scorching heat with several parts of India witnessing high temperatures and heat waves, industry experts opine that this has been encouraging tourists to opt for cooler places across India while this has also increased the airfares by 15-20%.
Flights and Hotels at this point of time are witnessing high demand in April and May which are usually not considered holiday season.
Talking to ETV Bharat, Bharatt Malik, Senior VP- Air and Hotel Business, Yatra Online said that "During this period when temperatures are soaring across various parts of India, the top tourist destinations for Indian travelers domestically include Goa, Kashmir, Darjeeling, and Kerala."
He further adds that "Internationally, popular choices are Dubai, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Vietnam, Thailand and Mauritius. Notably at Yatra, we have seen an increase in airfares compared to the same period last year, with domestic fares rising by approx 15-20% and international fares by approx. 20%."
As there is high demand due to which airfares and hotel prices have skyrocketed, he further adds that "Travelers are advised to plan and book their trips in advance to mitigate potential cost escalations and ensure a smooth travel experience."
Similarly, other industry opined that although this is not a holiday season but as the temperatures across the country are witnessing such peaks in heatwaves, people are looking for cooler places to visit during the weekends and this has resulted in hotel prices along with airfares getting hiked.
"The usual summer travel trend is to opt for hilly destinations that provide relief from the heat along with offering scenic landscapes and nature’s abundance. With temperatures soaring above 40 degrees, travel plans are definitely being modified. While both domestic and international destinations are preferred, tourists are opting all the more for cooler destinations. With the peak season approaching, airfares are bound to surge between 25-30%, as the common trend witnessed every year", said Rikant Pittie, Co-founder, EaseMyTrip.
He further said that "This year, tourists are making both domestic and international holidays their priority. With a nearly 35% surge in domestic travel, international travel in India is expected to surpass pre-Covid levels this year for both inbound and outbound tourism."
"Among metropolitan cities, Mumbai and Bengaluru are at the lead. Ooty, Srinagar, and Manali continue to be the topmost domestic hilly destinations for domestic travel, followed by beach lovers opting for Goa. When it comes to foreign destinations, West Asia (also known as the Middle East), Maldives, Sri Lanka, and South East Asian countries like Thailand, Vietnam, and South Korea are the go-to places this year. Additionally, new destinations, including Baku (Azerbaijan), Almaty (Kazakhstan), Uzbekistan, and Georgia, are witnessing significant traction among Indian travellers", he added.
Places in Himachal Pradesh like Shimla, Manali and other areas witnessed a huge inflow of tourists last month but experts opined that this is likely to get changed in the coming days as elections are approaching here. Himachal Pradesh goes to polls on June 1.
A senior office holder at Himachal Pradesh Travel Agents Association on anonymity said that "April witnessed a good tourist flow as majority of the hotels were pack with tourists but this pattern is likely to get changed. Tourists are now decreasing here as the tourists are opting Jammu Kashmir more while elections are also due in Himachal. So, as far as our industry is concerned, polls are scheduled for June 1 which is very late because that time is the peak time of tourism industry here and holding elections at this time directly clashes with (peak tourism inflow of May-June). It could have been better if elections would have been scheduled for mid-May."
