Republic Day Long Weekend Quotes | Thomas Cook India Limited & SOTC Travel

Rajeev Kale, President & Country Head – Holidays, MICE & Visa, Thomas Cook (India) Limited "The upcoming Republic Day long weekend: falling on Monday and taking leave on Friday/Tuesday, offers travel-hungry Indians a welcome break via a 4-day minication. We are witnessing an increased travel intent for both domestic and closer-to-home locales. Destinations like Rajasthan, Andamans, Kerala; also Bhutan and Sri Lanka in the Indian subcontinent; Dubai-Abu Dhabi, Oman, Maldives, Mauritius; Central Asia’s Georgia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan; new emerging island destinations such as Sabah (Malaysia), Cebu and Boracay (Philippines), Sa Pa and Phú Quốc (Vietnam) are gaining interest. Multigenerational families, Young India’s millennials and GenZ and young professionals are also looking at drivecations to nearby offbeat destinations such as Panchgani, Mahabaleshwar, Lonavala, Coorg, Ooty, Munnar, Wayanad and more. Interestingly, our customers are displaying increasing preference for eclectic stays and unique accommodations like heritage bungalows, havelis/ palaces, forts, tree houses or tea estates/coffee plantations. Additionally, travellers are opting for outdoor and adventure experiences, including safaris, biking, camping, trekking, water rafting and paragliding; also spa-wellness getaways."

SD Nandakumar, President & Country Head – Holidays & Corporate Tours, SOTC Travel “Long weekends provide that much needed short break/ minication and for the Republic Day long weekend, customers are opting for popular winter destinations like Kashmir, Himachal, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan; soft adventure and winter activities like mountain biking/gondola rides in Gulmarg; ice skating/snowboarding in Shimla, skiing in Auli; glamping in Rajasthan also Nepal and Bhutan in the Indian subcontinent. Interestingly, we are also witnessing demand for non-standard travel experiences and unconventional options like stays in machans/tree houses overlooking lush green tropical vegetation of Wayanad, Chikmagalur, Munnar, Thekkady; restored heritage fort in Goa, private villas with concierge services and a chef in Alibaug or plantation bungalows amidst rolling tea/coffee estates in Darjeeling, Assam or Coorg. Indians are also travelling to visa free/easy visa short haul outbound destinations like Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia. Greece is expected to gain traction with announcement of direct flights by several low cost carriers. Notably, spiritual tourism is on the rise. Customers are travelling to spiritual hubs like Ayodhya, Varanasi, Prayagraj, Bodh Gaya, Mathura-Vrindavan, Rishikesh-Haridwar; also southern Indian circuits like Tirupati, Rameshwaram, Kanchipuram and Ramayan Trails in Sri Lanka. What is particularly encouraging is the shift in demand from merely metro cities to a strong emergence from regional India’s tier 2 and tier 3 markets.”