Sabina Chopra

Co-Founder and COO, Corporate Travel & Head Industry Relations, Yatra.com

In the unlock phase, many travel trends have gained popularity as customers slowly shift from essential to leisure travel. A few trends that are gaining momentum are demand for hospitality options closer to home, less crowded destinations, wellness retreats, offbeat or experiential trips, solo adventure trips, among others. While professionals are working from home, they are opting for beautiful locales for workcations or staycations. Destinations such as Dharamshala, Bir, Goa, Darjeeling, Udaipur, Lonavala, Alibagh, Coorg, Auroville, are picking up in demand. These locations offer a serene break from the otherwise hectic life as individuals want to venture out to break their monotonous lifestyle.

There has been a pent-up demand created for travel during the lockdown. As we move into the ‘new normal’, travellers are looking at ways to relax and rejuvenate themselves, while giving utmost importance to safety and hygiene at any particular destination. The trend of ‘revenge tourism’ is expected to pick up in demand as people move out of their houses after months of isolation. Several destinations such as Goa, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, etc have already opened their borders for tourists and witnessed an increase in booking enquires. This desire to ‘take a break’ will spike in India, as people step out from the comfort of their homes.

We are amidst a global pandemic, where new trends, technologies and concepts have caused a major shift in the industry. It is important to pick-up on these evolving trends and responds to consumer expectations. In this new era of tourism, health and hygiene will indeed play a critical role.