TravTalk India Online Magazine
Indian travellers are being most sought after by various destinations, and people are not just travelling from bigger cities. People from tier III and IV cities are also making sure that they explore the world. And they are not disappointed. Big movements are happening from these regions to different domestic and international destinations.
TT Bureau
Puneet Bharti, Director, Global Dream Travel Consultants, Ludhiana
Dubai, Bali, and Singapore are currently selling like hot cakes, with Dubai attracting a significant clientele from Punjab. Although air connectivity is available from Amritsar and Chandigarh, there has been a temporary cancellation of flights from Amritsar for a week. We have encountered no major issues with customs and immigration procedures so far, and our clients are enjoying the abundance of attractions in Dubai. Bali is another popular destination, known for its appeal to honeymooners. Singapore, with its Dante Cruise, is a must on many people’s travel bucket lists. Among domestic travel destinations, first and foremost is Goa, which is a favourite among Indian and foreign travellers, followed by Himachal Pradesh, which has the enticing Shimla, Kasauli, and Manali. Of late, many travellers are opting for the UT of J&K, which is another sparkling destination. With air fares having risen of late, people from Chandigarh, Amritsar and surrounding cities are choosing to travel by road.
Anil Punjabi, Director, AR-ES Travels, Kolkata and TAFI Chairman, East
The most popular destinations for our clients currently are the UT of J&K, Darjeeling, Goa, and Rajasthan. We are getting a lot of queries for these destinations. We have noticed that the clients are now more inclined to travel for leisure or just to get out of hustle and bustle of the city. These are the few of the destinations that are in demand now. There is direct connectivity to all these locations, both via flights as well as by rail. The factor of direct connectivity to the destinations does help with the traveller bookings. Clients want to get to their desired destination as fast as possible, but with doable ticket rates. Travelling has become an essential part for the upcoming generation, as they are more likely to explore destinations, cultures, and cuisine. The country has a lot to offer, and West Bengal has a several hidden gems or places that are yet to be explored. Our main goal is also to promote these destinations further.
Roshan Jain, Founder and Sales & Marketing, Director Tatabye Tours, Chennai
We are a nine-year old DMC based in South India and handle Maldives, Sri Lanka, and Indonesia. We have travellers coming for Maldives, Sri Lanka, and Indonesia. These three destinations are the preferred by honeymooners and leisure travellers. Those who love Mother Nature and beaches travel to Maldives. Clients interested in mountains and adventure prefer travelling to Sri Lanka and Indonesia. We have our own offices in Maldives, Sri Lanka, and Indonesia as well, from where we do the ground handling smoothly. We are the only company in India that has airport representatives in all these destinations. All the hotels are contracted, and we own all the vehicles we use in these destinations. We also offer flexibility to the clients in every aspect, including payments.
Kuldip Sondhi, Partner, Sondhi Travels, Ludhiana
People from this part of Punjab are known to travel around the world, especially to destinations such as Türkiye, Dubai, Phuket, and Singapore from Amritsar. Sea cruises are also popular with the travellers here. Of late, owing to weak Indian Rupee value, all the foreign destinations have become quite expensive—as much as 25-30 per cent. Though these destinations have become expensive, they are still within a traveller’s budget. Moreover, the flight connectivity to these destinations from here is quite good. In fact, direct air connectivity from the city of Amritsar in Punjab to Dubai in the Middle East and Singapore, which is a very popular cruise destination, has generated a lot of demand among the people of the state.
Anish Kumar P.K., CEO, The Travel Planners, Trivandrum
Post-pandemic, people are travelling to hill stations such as Munnar, Wayanad, Vagamon, Coorg, and Ooty in South India and Manali and J&K in North India. Cool climate, striking greenery, and the opportunity to connect with nature are the parameters, travellers give priority to while choosing destinations. We have also seen a rise from domestic family holiday travellers to Kerala, the god’s own country. Combination of Munnar, Thekkady and Kumarakom backwaters make a popular domestic tourism circuit. Hill stations, great wildlife, and backwaters of Kerala is a unique travel experience for people who opt for short tours, say, for a period of 4-5 days. Connectivity and airfares are main factors while choosing destinations. We have seen rising interest in luxury stays by domestic travellers.
C K Gopinaathan, Proprietor, Tarmac Travels, Coimbatore
It has become an annual routine with religious travellers who prefer going on pilgrimage tours to Kedarnath, Varanasi, Haridwar and Rishikesh. This tourism circuit is quite popular. Travellers of South Indian states prefer going on pilgrimage destinations. Get flights and lodging in hotels are easy. There are also direct flights to many destinations from Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu, which helps us a lot. Kashi Yatra commences from here, and once the Ayodhya temple is thrown open to public, it will also get several pilgrims. Most domestic flights are going full due to business and pilgrimage tourism. Our business is improving, and one can cover many places. In fact, if we send a request in the morning, the suppliers give us the information by the afternoon.
Harpreet Singh Grover, Director, Destinations Unlimited, Ludhiana
Currently, Singapore, Malaysia, and Vietnam are most sought after destinations. The rising popularity of Vietnam as a new travel destination has intrigued many Indians, prompting them to explore the country. The vibrant cruise industry of Singapore has also captured the interest of several travellers. These destinations boast excellent connectivity and offer direct flights, enhancing their appeal. On the domestic front, Goa and J&K are gaining traction among the travellers. However, the current air fares play a significant role in travel planning. Air fares are on the higher side presently, influencing clients to reconsider their travel arrangements. One of my clients had planned to visit Phuket but had to cancel plans due to the exorbitant air fare when compared to other destinations.
Irshad Hazari, Director, Euphoria Travel Services, Srinagar
People in the UT of J&K like to travel between April-June in summer and spring seasons and between Dec-March to escape the winter season. While 85 per cent of Kashmiris travel within Kashmir, the remaining 15 per cent go to Jammu and Ladakh. The people do not use local transport but go by MUVs such as Toyota Innova or SUVs such as Sedans, and tempos. Kashmiris do travel internationally, but not much. Only 10-15 per cent of population travel outside India. Within Kashmir, they prefer travelling to Srinagar, Pahalgam, Sonmarg and Gulmarg. These places in Kashmir have always made the region rank among the best tourism destinations in India and the world. All these places have very good connectivity and best infrastructure.
Harsimran Singh, Director, Cozy Tours, Chandigarh
Shimla, Manali, Dharamshala, and Dalhousie are currently the most popular destinations. These destinations have a pleasant weather and beautiful landscapes as compared to the hot climate of Chandigarh and Amritsar. Kullu, Shimla, and Dharamshala facilitate air connectivity, with people opting to travel from Chandigarh. Customers are leaning towards customized trips, tailoring their itineraries to suit their preferences. Some people prefer a focused seven-day tour to explore Shimla and Manali, while others choose the Amritsar-Dharamshala-Dalhousie-Amritsar circuit and those travellers seeking a longer trip, the Chandigarh-Shimla-Manali-Dharamshala-Amritsar circuit is preferred. With the travel business booming, the bookings are jam-packed.
Bobby Bhatia, Managing Partner, Travel Experts, Delhi
For me, the most selling travel destinations domestically are J&K and Goa, while internationally, Dubai, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam take the lead. These destinations are favoured by my clients due to direct flight connectivity and comparatively affordable prices. Despite the high air fares, people are still opting to travel to these destinations, mainly because of the pandemic. For a very long time, the clients were not able to travel and now since these destinations have opened, they are travelling even if it means paying slightly higher airfares. Typically, clients choose to stay for an average of 5-6 nights. Since this is the vacation time, majority of these clients consist of families looking to spend quality time together while enjoying a well-deserved break.
Pradeep Rai, Managing Director, Skyline India Travels, Varanasi
The most popular destinations on pilgrimage circuit are Varanasi, Prayagraj, Ayodhya and Chirakoot. Srinagar, Goa, and Himachal Pradesh are popular for leisure in the domestic market. Dubai, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam are coveted in the outbound market. Varanasi, Prayagraj, Ayodhya, Chirakoot are the most popular due to their significance. Currently, these locations boast better infrastructure, direct flights, and connectivity from major cities. Due to the support of Uttar Pradesh Tourism, these destinations have become popular among domestic travellers. Dubai, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam are popular luxury travel destinations, more so due to their proximity to India. Visa processes at these places are easy in these destinations. One can get e-Visa very easily.
Vikrant Hankare, Director, Rajas Travels, Mumbai
In Kerala, my clients want to visit Munnar, Thekady and Alleppy. The state continues to maintain its famous tagline ‘God’s Own Country’. For us, this season has been beneficial. Kerala impresses domestic and international tourists. Kerala’s various cities have their own speciality such as Munnar’s evergreen tea plantations and Thekkady’s Yodha Culture Village, Periyar Lake and its national park. Alleppey is known for its backwaters and houseboats. We are promoting Wayanad, Kannur, Trivandrum, Kovallam, and Bekal; we are being encouraged by local drivers, hotel staff, guides, and Kerala Tourism. The state is connected from Indian cities and glonbal cities because of which we are getting more and more leads for Kerala, and we are converting them into actual bookings.
Alok Singh, Director, Enriching Journeys, Delhi
Inbound tourism is spreading, and the idea of the exploration is spreading. We use Rajasthan as one of our bestselling destinations and it has unique properties. It is time for experiences, which means that the travel basically is not about anything else, but more of experience. They are not just going there to stay. They have a good meal and come back, but do not stay there for at least two to three nights. They do their best to spend more time outdoors rather than being indoors. We have been working in the inbound business for a long time, try and use properties, which are not more known or commonly popular. Hence, we try and limit that for a few properties. All these properties are well connected with major cities, which have direct flights from metros.
Palak Jain, Sales Team lead, Intrepid travels, Delhi
In terms of inbound tourism, the most saleable destinations are Delhi, Agra, and Jaipur, which come unede the Golden Triangle. Many cities in Rajasthan and Kerala are selling like hot cakes. Apart from all these, we do have queries for distant Ladakh. All these destinations are very well connected. As tourism is improving and growing, we have a lot of upcoming flights to all these destinations, and from Delhi, we have great air connectivity, including rail. Vande Bharat train is also the upcoming train facility the government is coming up with, and we have a lot of good connectivity throughout. In terms of age, it is a mixed crowd. We have groups from 18-29 and 50-60 age group. For inbound, it is a mixture of both.
