Leading hospitality chain OYO Hotels and Homes said domestic tourists are preferring inter-state road trips and beach destinations after staying homebound for months during coronavirus-triggered lockdown.
According to Diwali booking trends during the first week of November, Jaipur, Kerala, Goa, Visakhapatnam, and Varanasi top the charts as the most popular leisure destinations among travellers, the company said.
The data further highlights Jaipur to be the most popular choice among travellers across northern India, with an influx of tourists from nearby cities like Delhi-NCR and Lucknow.
Across South India, travellers from Chennai and Bengaluru are heading out on road trips to Kochi in Kerala, the southwest coast of India. Goa, India's beach capital, on the other hand, is attracting travellers from across the country. The majority of bookings are from Pune, followed by Bengaluru and Hyderabad.
"People opting for safer travel options, road trips are here to stay, therefore, leading to an increase in inter-state travel during Diwali and the upcoming holiday season this year," said Harshit Vyas, senior vice-president and chief operating officer of the company.
He added that leisure destinations are expected to continue gaining momentum in the coming months with rising consumer optimism for travel.
