Growth in bookings witnessed for Diwali season: Report

Even as this year has been one of the most challenging ones, there is a gradual recovery witnessed in the travel sector with an uptick of 40 per cent in daily check-ins for this Diwali season compared to the average bookings made in October, according to a report. There has been a 40 per cent growth in daily check-ins during this year's Diwali season as against the average bookings made in October this year, the report said.

The report is based on data on online travel booking platform goibibo for October and November. It showed that with significant week-on-week travel booking growth, travellers including young couples and group of friends are set to take leisure trips during this year's Diwali break.

During October, the booking trends on the goibibo platform showed 30-40 per cent higher check-ins for long-weekend than other weekends, with many making compulsive bookings within 72 hours of travel or less. Also, the data indicated that as people gradually getting comfortable with the idea of taking their first leisure flight for that much-deserved break after the pandemic, there is a growing preference for bookings to distant destinations across Goa, Kerala, Coorg and Darjeeling, among others.

Safety remains a priority for the industry and travellers, with young travellers willing to splurge on their next leisure trip while opting for travel options that promise high-safety standards, offer greater booking and payment flexibility, among others, it showed. For the upcoming Diwali break, as per the bookings made so far on goibibo platform, over 50 per cent of the reservations have been made for premium or mid-premium hotel properties.

Among all travel groups, Gen-Z (born during mid-to-late 1990s) is increasingly opting for staycations at hotels and alternative accommodations that offer early check-in and late check-out, among others. It also found that travellers between 20 and 30 years of age are actively stepping out from tier-II and -III cities to take their first break or holiday after the lockdown.

While the initial wave of leisure travel was dominated by travellers from metros, bookings on the goibibo platform indicate a month-on-month increase in travel demand from tier-III cities, followed by tier II markets. The growth is largely driven by the availability of safe inter-city cabs and bus options to some of the popular tourist destinations including Goa, Udaipur, Manali, Jaipur and Darjeeling, it added.