Tour operators witness rise in winter bookings

Ranchi: Bookings at tourists hotspots outside the state and abroad from Jharkhand residents and other parts of the country ahead of Christmas and New Year celebrations have seen a twofold rise this year, city tour operators have said.
The tour operators also said other hotspots outside the state are Goa and Shimla, both backpackers’ preferred destinations in the domestic circuit, while Maldives and Singapore are trending among the overseas destinations.
Talking to TOI, Gyan Kumar, proprietor of the Lilawati Tour and Travel, said, “Ahead of Christmas and New Year coupled with the ongoing wedding season, enquiries have increased by twofold with the majority of people searching for reservations in Goa and Shimla. At the same time, many international aspirants are enquiring about Singapore and the Maldives. The demand is such that we are facing a shortage of airlines and train tickets as well as hotel rooms.”
During the last week of the year, people prefer to stay with their friends and families and they travel to spend time with them. Moreover, schools in the country close for winter vacations allowing people to plan their trips for the winter break. People flock to popular destinations like Shimla and Manali to watch snowfalls and enjoy their vacations.
Sony Mahto, the owner of Skyline Travels, said, “During the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, the majority of people would book trips to the Maldives. However, now enquiries are coming for places all over the world, including Europe, London, and the United States but the demand is so high that people must book their out-of-town travel many days in advance.”
As many people have planned to enjoy the last week of the year and the New Year in some tourist destinations after a two-year restriction, there has been an increased number of advanced bookings for hotels, airlines and train reservations, he added.
Anuradha Choudhary, the owner of Sri Sai Tour and Travels, said, “This year, we will not accept hotel reservations or bookings for airline tickets due to the high demand. As a result of the high volume of enquiries and booking requests, we are denying a significant portion of the bookings that we would normally accept.”