Summer travel plans show no signs of slowing: Domestic demand remains strong despite higher airfares, rising fuel costs & fewer flights
Indians are not abandoning their summer holidays despite soaring airfares, rising fuel costs and airlines cutting domestic and international flights, although many are altering itineraries and budgets, industry executives said.
Travel and hospitality firms, however, said demand for overseas holidays such as European summer breaks has softened amid soaring fares. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had also made a call to avoid non-essential overseas travel. The picture is encouraging on the domestic front, they said.
Read more: Cabinet approves Rs 10,000 crore fund to cap jet fuel prices
“Travellers are driving down to nearby destinations, a pattern we are seeing consistently across all major cities,” MakeMyTrip CEO Rajesh Magow said. “Group travel is up, whether families or friends travelling together, and that is reflected in a clear uptick in intercity cab and bus bookings on our platform.”
He said the demand picked up almost immediately as schools closed for summer vacations, which is consistent with the seasonal pattern.
Social media posts attest to the trend, with travellers referring to traffic jams stretching for hours around destinations such as Dehradun and Sikkim. Airfares have risen by as much as 30-40% year-on-year this summer due to elevated aviation turbine fuel costs amid the West Asia war. Many international routes are impacted by airspace closures and longer flight paths as well.
Travel and hospitality firms, however, said demand for overseas holidays such as European summer breaks has softened amid soaring fares. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had also made a call to avoid non-essential overseas travel. The picture is encouraging on the domestic front, they said.
Read more: Cabinet approves Rs 10,000 crore fund to cap jet fuel prices
“Travellers are driving down to nearby destinations, a pattern we are seeing consistently across all major cities,” MakeMyTrip CEO Rajesh Magow said. “Group travel is up, whether families or friends travelling together, and that is reflected in a clear uptick in intercity cab and bus bookings on our platform.”
He said the demand picked up almost immediately as schools closed for summer vacations, which is consistent with the seasonal pattern.
Social media posts attest to the trend, with travellers referring to traffic jams stretching for hours around destinations such as Dehradun and Sikkim. Airfares have risen by as much as 30-40% year-on-year this summer due to elevated aviation turbine fuel costs amid the West Asia war. Many international routes are impacted by airspace closures and longer flight paths as well.
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