BENGALURU: With a long weekend ahead, Bengalureans are all set to holiday out of town, and Goa is getting a big chunk of the traffic.
Paresh Travels has helped book packages to Goa for many families. “People are also going to Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore this season,” says Parvesh Pandy, travel guide at the agency.
The self-drive trend is catching on as it offers greater freedom than regular packages. Zoomcar, a self-drive car rental company, has given out all its cars for this weekend. The duration of the holiday ranges from three to five days.
Greg Morgan, CEO, Zoomcar, says, “Hills and beaches are popular. Goa and Kerala are the most popular destinations this year.”
Goa is a big favourite because it hosts many international music festivals. “Goa has a great nightlife, beautiful beaches, and a carefree atmosphere, besides cheap as well as high-class hotels,” says Aswin Jayasankar, Country Head, Wego.com. Puri is also gaining in popularity, he adds.
Mature groups prefer hills destinations such as Kodagu and Kodaikanal, according to Sachit Garg, co-founder and Director, TravelTriangle.
A recent study by the company shows that 92 per cent of people in Bengaluru seek getaways from monotonous work lives, while people in other metropolitan cities travel to “chill out.”
Droom, in collaboration with Uber, is introducing on-demand chopper rides. On December 25, between 1 and 3 pm, they are offering reservations for half-hour rides through the Uber app.
Survey says
■ According to travel website Wego, 22 per cent of all Indian travellers like visiting Goa for the Christmas and New Year season.
■ About 5 per cent go to Puri, 4 each to Mahabaleshwar and Kodagu (Coorg), and 3 each to Shimla and Matheran.
■ This is followed by Ooty, Manali, Munnar and Pondicherry, each getting 2 per cent of the votes.
■ Udaipur, Nainital, Mumbai, Mt Abu, and Mysuru also figure in the survey, with each getting 1 per cent of the total vote.
■ The international destination most popular this season is Dubai, which gets 1 per cent of the total traffic.