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Business Standard

Monsoon deals spark travel boom as tourists head back to Indian hotspots

Tourism sees strong revival as airlines, hotels and travel platforms roll out monsoon deals to tap into pent-up demand, with bookings rising sharply across key Indian destinations New Delhi After months of global unrest and domestic tensions in popular tourist spots like Kashmir, travel demand that was once held back is now bouncing back. Travel platforms, airlines, and hotels are rushing in with monsoon offers to make the most of this typically quiet travel season, according to a report by The Economic Times. Earlier this year, travel enthusiasts skipped their holiday plans due to safety concerns in destinations like Kashmir and broader geopolitical uncertainties. But now, that pent-up demand is spilling into the monsoon months, giving a much-needed push to off-season travel. 'Flight bookings have surged 25-30 per cent year-on-year for certain destinations,' said travel platform ixigo, as quoted by the report. Airlines, hotels roll out monsoon offers India's largest airline, IndiGo, launched a monsoon sale between June 24 and 29, with special fares on select domestic and international routes, depending on seat availability. The Indian Hotels Company Ltd (IHCL), owned by the Tata Group, also introduced monsoon deals for popular beach destinations like Goa and Kerala. The news report quoted Ranjit Phillipose, Senior Vice-President - Operations, IHC at Goa, said that his hotels in Goa are seeing 85 per cent occupancy through the end of this month, although the average daily rates are slightly lower than last year. Budget airlines join the rainy rush FLY91, a Goa-based budget airline, has also joined the trend. After the state government announced new steps to attract tourists during the off-season, the airline rolled out discounted fares. These cover routes connecting Goa with Hyderabad, Jalgaon, Agatti, Pune, Sindhudurg, and Solapur. Travel industry poised for massive growth A new report from the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) suggests the global leisure travel industry is on track for huge growth. The report estimates that the market will expand from $5 trillion currently to $15 trillion by 2040, Business Standard had reported. Interestingly, the next wave of travellers is expected to come not from the US or Europe, but from emerging markets like India, China, Vietnam, and Saudi Arabia, according to a survey of nearly 5,000 travellers across 11 countries. Andaman aims for more blue flag beaches As monsoon travel gains momentum with airlines and hotels offering special deals, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands are also stepping up efforts to draw travellers — this time by focusing on sustainability. To give a fresh push to beach tourism, the island administration is working to expand Blue Flag certifications beyond the already recognised Radhanagar Beach at Swaraj Dweep (Havelock Island), a senior official told news agency PTI. The Blue Flag tag is an international eco-label awarded to beaches that meet strict standards of cleanliness, safety, environmental management, and accessibility. In India, only 12 beaches currently hold this certification, which is granted by the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE), a non-profit group based in Denmark.