looking to plan a hassle-free and embalming vacationIJ With holiday season round the corner, here’s a list of the widest choice of exotic, cool and sun-soaked locales across the world
Summer vacations are round the corner and the demand for holidays have risen by at least 20 per cent compared to the same period last year. In a survey conducted by Cox and Kings it was also found out that 65 per cent of outbound travel trips happens during the period April to July. This is primarily driven by family holidays.
Every summer season brings with it a new and fresh travel experience, catapulted by the latest travel trends. These trends highlight Indians’ search for activities such as scuba diving and snorkeling and their wish to explore beyond the conventional destinations.
“Indians travellers have emerged as the newest globetrotters in the world. They want to forge deeper connections to the people, traditions and customs of the places they are visiting, and these experiences add a meaningful and memorable component to a vacation. This has also resulted in an intense demand for foreign travels,” said Karan Anand, Head Relationships, Cox and Kings limited.
FAR AWAY lANDS
When it comes to travelling international, Indians love to bathe in the sun and clear blue water while travelling to tropical Maldives, and to go shopping in Singapore. Paris, New York, Seychelles and Bahamas are the other non-Asian popular destinations. More than 60 per cent of the outbound travellers prefer group holidays to Europe, USA and the Far East-Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand. Though Western Europe continues to be an all-time favourite with destinations such as UK, Switzerland, Germany and France attracting the bulk of the travelers, we have seen an increase in demand to destinations such as Greece, Croatia and Slovenia. Apart from our regular coach tours, we have also introduced guaranteed coach tours to England and Scotland. Among long-haul destinations, USA, Australia and New Zealand also continue to get its fair share of tourists. For those who love exotic destinations Japan, South Korea, Israel and Zambia are the top favourites.
OFF-BEAT
This summer will see an increased number of people travelling to new and unexplored destinations, especially in Europe and the USA. The experiential travel segment is expected to see an upward trend. An upward trend is observed in people choosing the unconventional destinations as the new-age travellers are making bold choices like Morroco, Machu Picchu (Peru), Jordan and Flanders (Flanders is a rich and lively cluster of cities in Belgium, made up of Antwerp, Brussels, Bruges, Ghent, leuven and Mechelen). “The regular style travelling like sightseeing and going to the important places has become boring. When I travel, I make sure that I get to live the way the people of that region live and spend their time. Vacationing like a traveller and not like tourists is the thing today,” said Tosh Kothari, trade analyst from Pune. These sets of travellers like to go beyond the usual destinations and must-see attractions. They seek for true experiences and look for itineraries more attuned to local culture.
SHORT ESCAPES
Travel agencies are witnessing a spike in bookings with Indian travellers shifting gear and taking shorter and more frequent holidays. People are now taking short breaks through the year and not limiting themselves one or two big holidays as in the past, which experts believe will help the travel and tourism industry as it ensures that demand is well spread out. As a result of this trend, domestic destinations will also witness huge footfalls and this year will see a lot of interest for destinations such as Kashmir, North East, Goa and Kerala. Nainital-Masoori-Corbett, Shimla-Manali, North East destinations such as Gangtok-Pelling-Darjeeling and ladakh are the bestsellers. “Indians have been utilising long weekends for short breaks and exploring new local destinations. These short trips are important as they help in keeping a balance in work and personal life,” said Manmeet Ahluwalia, a software engineer in Gurgaon.
The dramatic landscapes, monasteries and fortresses (dzongs) of Bhutan also appeal many travel enthusiasts. Many senior citizens are also opting for pilgrimages such as Kailash Mansarovar, Char Dham Yatra and Vaishnodevi during summers.
“With this trend on the rise, and many long weekends coming up in 2017, we are expecting a great year ahead for the industry,” said Anand.
SOME ADRENAlINE RUSH
With increasing number of travellers shifting focus to ‘experience-oriented’ vacations, there is an increase in the demand for the adventure travel services. The adrenaline junkies love getting out of their comfort zones and embracing new passions and experiences. Adventure tourism is the new buzz word of the global tourism sector. It allows a traveller to immerse in the active travel and soak in the natural and cultural treasures of the world. With its fast global acceptance, adventure travel has almost become mainstream travel option. It is attracting great number of middle-aged males and females, besides pulling in youngsters, the survey revealed.