Diwali travel: Hyderabad residents explore a bag of options

HYDERABAD: Ahead of Diwali, people have been busy making plans to head out of the city and spend quality time with their loved ones.
Many working professionals packed their bags to travel to their native places. “I have taken a day off on Friday and will be heading to Nalgonda district on Wednesday night to celebrate the festival with my wife and son,” said Srivatsav A, a techie working in a multinational company in the city.
Another resident, Lalitha M, who will be heading out for Diwali with her family said, “All our extended family is in Bhadrachalam. We will be going to the village and will stay there for four days.”
Getaways and staycations nearby have also been popular with hotels and resorts in and around the city filling up fast. “I enquired with a resort, which is a couple of hours away from the city, and was surprised to find that it was filled. So, I decided book myself into one of the top hotels in the city this weekend,” said Rahul V, a private employee. Staycations seemed to be a preferred option especially among those trying to avoid travelling during the pandemic.
For residents trying to make a small trip, having spent most of their time indoors the past couple of years, data from GMR Hyderabad International Airport Ltd showed that popular domestic destinations included Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru among metro cities; and Vizag, Patna and Raipur among Tier II cities. Tirupati and Shirdi were preferred destinations among pilgrimage travellers while Goa, Jodhpur and Port Blair were popular among tourist destinations, the data showed.
“I have not taken a vacation since the pandemic started two years ago. With many talking about the impending third wave, I decided to take a vacation this week and will be heading to Goa with friends,” said K Sai Kumar, a techie.