Strategising relaxing domestic initiatives without hindering guest’s safety
Although travel is not yet returning on a global level the hotel occupancies are on the rise in many domestic and drive markets. However, conventional leisure hot spots are being avoided in favour of more rural locations, as outdoor recreation has grown in popularity to allow for social distancing. Thus, ‘Drivecations’ and ‘Staycations’ are playing a pivotal role in uplifting the market slumber observes Atul Upadhyay, Vice President -Operations, Pride Hotels.
Post lockdown people will be cautious about the destinations they will be travelling to. It’s safe to say that the travel and tourism industry might witness some kind of revenge tourism happening in India but not immediately. Destinations that were once the crowd-pullers may not get too many leisure tourists.
“However, we do expect to see a demand in the market for staycations at places which are a short drive away. The domestic market will pick up faster than the international market as the local travellers will be looking for a safe weekend getaway. People are looking for destinations that do not require public transport or air travel. Going away from the city at a drive to destinations is their first choice of a holiday as it’s a safe bet for their health and safety too,” identifies Atul.
Seeing this upcoming trend the Pride Group has already launched several Drivecations and Staycations packages. They have also designed a holiday package - ‘Pride Escape’, for families and kids who are longing for a fun yet safe vacation. And to make sure that their guests are safe during the transit the Pride Hotels will also arrange for the pickup and drop service.
Atul further shares, “Moreover, to help the travel, tourism and hospitality industry to bounce back we have launched a new campaign called ‘India Dekho with Pride’. This is an initiative in the direction of promoting India as a safe and viable destination for tourism and MICE. In India, the domestic travel segment is the largest contributor to the overall tourism sector hence will play a vital role in the recovery process.”
The general opinion suggests that travellers will avoid mass tourism and opt for slow tourism. Slow tourism will be an opportunity to rediscover the wonders that are hidden a few miles away from home. “The high risk of large gatherings where it is difficult for individuals to remain spaced will keep us all away from the big cities and the most popular destinations. People will spend their holidays in lesser known tourist destinations. This will boost our tourism and economy,” assures Atul.