With the academic year coming to an end, travel enthusiasts are packing their bags and travelling to hill stations and beaches to escape the heat of Bengaluru. While many private tour operators have seen an uptick in the number of bookings this year during the summer vacation, the upcoming elections might have kept some others from travelling.
“We have seen around 30 – 40% increase in bookings this year when compared to the previous year. Within India, our packages to Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Goa are doing very well. When it comes to international travel, Singapore and Malaysia seems to be the popular choice,” said Neha S., from Horizon Travels in Sampangiramanagar.
Ms. Neha attributed the rise in numbers to an increase in group travel and the influence of social media. “When people see someone travel photos on social media, they make their own travel plans. Then there is also the reason of wanting to spend more time with friends and family together, which is why they are opting for group tours,” she said.
Mysuru, Kodagu and Gokarna are the preferred destinations for travellers from both within and outside of Karnataka. Ooty – Kodaikanal, Wayanad and Tirupati are also the destinations of choice for Bengalureans, according to travel operators.
Karnataka State Tourism Development Corporation (KSTDC) has received advance bookings for the next two months. Its property in Ooty has an occupancy rate of 95% for the next two months, followed by the hotel in Madikeri with 65% occupancy, and 60% in the hotels in Mysuru and near KRS.
“We are still getting bookings every day. Soon, most of the units will have a 100% occupancy rate,” said a senior official from KSTDC.
When it comes to tour packages, KSTDC’s Tirupati packages have the highest bookings. North Karnataka Tour, South India, South Canara temple tours and Goa-Gokarna– Jog Falls packages have also attracted bookings.
Travel slightly hit by elections
With Lok Sabha elections being scheduled on April 26 in Bengaluru, a few tour operators have seen a slight fall in bookings, especially when it comes to family packages. “We have not received as many enquiries as we usually do for summer vacations due to elections. Teachers and other government employees who usually travel this time are deputed for election duty. Hence, they have dropped their travel plans this time,” said a manager at Shree Tours and Travels in Mahalakshmi Layout.
Increased international travel
When compared to the previous year, private tour operators have noticed an increase in the number of people travelling abroad from Bengaluru. “Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, and Dubai continue to be popular choices among Bengalureans, with a noticeable uptick of 10-15% in outbound travel,” said Sabina Chopra, co-founder & COO, Yatra Online.