TIRUCHY: With summer vacation and holidays like Tamil New Year around the corner, travel operators in the city say there is currently a spike in international travel bookings, particularly to destinations like Dubai, Sharjah, Malaysia, Thailand and Sri Lanka. Mentioning many flights in the Gulf routes already fully booked, they add that demand is expected to rise further in the coming weeks, particularly after schools declare summer break.
G Kalidasan, a travel agent in the city, said, “For Dubai, round-trip (up and down) fares are around Rs 25,000. Similarly, tickets to Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia are available for about Rs 20,000. We are seeing a steady rise in bookings to these destinations as families plan their summer vacation.”
Adding to the rush are Tamils working in Gulf countries who return to India and travel back with their family members on month-long vacation. “It’s common during this time for NRIs to visit and take their family members back with them for a short stay. Many of them rent apartments for a month and spend holidays together,” said R Srinivasan, another travel agent. Sources from the airline industry also indicate an increase in flight frequency on ‘high-demand’ routes.
“Our team is closely monitoring booking trends, especially to Gulf countries. If the current trend continues, additional flights may be scheduled to accommodate the demand,” an airline source said. Domestic travel is also gaining momentum, with “rising” interest in tour packages to places like Kashmir, Goa, Himachal Pradesh and Delhi. Travel agents say that enquiries have increased recently and expect more bookings when schools declare summer break.
"There's a noticeable interest in domestic holiday packages. We're also expecting IRCTC to announce special packages soon, which will further boost local tourism. Some agents are already planning trips to popular destinations," said N Ramesh, another city-based tour operator.