India’s domestic tourism boom sparks opportunity for sustainable growth

With Domestic Tourism giving some leverage to businesses and with more drive and determination, the timing has never been better to position local brands, destinations, and attractions for success when this crisis is over. TTJ gives an industry outlook from few tourism and hospitality stakeholders as to how they look at the potential of the sector in the everchanging COVID-19 scenario. Their views are comprehensive with many domestic tourism aspects put together, and it makes an interesting read. The best part is to get to know that Indians are ready to explore their own land like never before. Read on!

people in large numbers are moving out to holiday in nearby destinations, large self-contained resorts outside these have become quite popular with city dwellers. One of the reasons is good road connectivity, large well-spread resorts and accommodation options in all categories at these places.

Demand for Kashmir has gone up suddenly, and it is doing quite well despite all the negative publicity that surrounded it for quite a long time. People are looking for well-spread natural environs where they can unwind. Demand for concrete heritage is not so much visible as it was in the past. Hills, beaches, farms, wildlife, water bodies have become an attractive proposition for domestic travellers. ‘Nature’ is the keyword of tourism for now and it promises umpteen business opportunities.

Ayodhya is one of the newest destinations which has created just the right buzz and the world is looking forward to it. The government is investing quite aggressively to transform this almost forgotten but essential pilgrim city in India. Ayodhya is a city that has lived Hinduism beyond the brackets of religion, as a way of life and very unpretentiously.

The much-awaited development of Ayodhya is now becoming a reality, and people of Ayodhya can look forward to economic well-being, employment opportunities, and social inclusiveness in times to come. Uttar Pradesh Government plans to surpass Mecca’s and Vatican’s annual footfall of more than 20 million visitors and to cater to this traffic, Ayodhya is being re-planned and restructured.

The new international airport, modern railway station, bus terminus, parking bays, four and six lanes of highways all are being done in a time-bound manner. From world-class five-star hotels to budget accommodations that will serve a cross-section of visitors will be a major fillip to the tourism in Ayodhya. Then, there are upcoming resorts and boutique properties that are yet other opportunities waiting in Ayodhya. Many countries are even establishing their temples, memorials, and religiousembassies in Ayodhya and this apart from Indian states that will have their own government guest houses to cater to their residents.

In my opinion, to get the most from it as a tourist destination, the government should involve tourism and hospitality experts to work in coordination with town planners and architects. Ayodhya has all the potential of becoming a world-class tourist destination in the coming years, and there is so much buzz already around that people are waiting in the wings to reach and experience Ayodhya in its newest form.

Domestic Tourism is being seen as a new saviour of the industry and one that will be an essential service offer for all operators, which can keep the cash flows of the company going even during the toughest days such as the ones we are experiencing now. Also, domestic travel will help operators to evenly spread their businesses throughout the year and not only be dependent on the seasonal character of inbound tourism. The road travel trend has caught up quite well. Earlier we were contemplating five hours of travel time to be comfortable for travellers but the real trend is quite different and people are comfortable travelling by their cars for even ten hours at a stretch. This shows the desperation of travel when travel is restricted. Indian summers will see an upswing during summer vacations after the examinations, which this year are slated for the month of May and apart from cooler and natural environs, even cities in the north and south will do well. Religious tourism is on the rise and the air traffic is picking up slowly and steadily, this means travel by air to distant destinations too will be back. It will not be a surprise to even see Goa and Rajasthan being sold out again in summer, quite the unlikely character of the two destinations otherwise. Hill states of Himachal, Uttarakhand, Kashmir, and North East will be the favourite destinations for domestic travellers and the improvement in the infrastructure of these states will only pave the way for a tourist boom in these in the near future.

Tourism is coming back and as an industry, we need to be “Tourism Ready”. Having little or no-business is no excuse to be lethargic, it is rather an opportunity to better equip ourselves with knowledge, plan businesses, reestablish, refocus and expand business horizons to enhance revenue when tourism returns.

just 4 hours from Aurangabad, aweinspiring Living Root Bridges - a mustvisit in Meghalaya. Spiritual Tours and our rejuvenation & wellness breaks are also popular – especially in these challenging times. A unique River water cruise –Antara – is also a new concept that Indians are showing interest in.

Some of the popular search terms on our website include holidays to destinations such as Goa, Himachal Pradesh. Other trending terms include short weekend breaks and more recently we have seen a growing interest in Ladakh holidays for our Bike trips.

Like Kevadia (Statue of Unity) in

Gujarat, Odisha’s Muduligadia ecovillage is a great example that can be replicated. Given the increased focus on domestic tourism, investments in ecotourism attractions and infrastructure, especially in the new normal of travel will be beneficial.

At Thomas Cook India, we are already witnessingtheriseofthesensitivetraveller, a traveller who respects his eco-system and will seek deeper enriching travel experiences. With news on the vaccines and growing customer confidence in travel, we are seeing encouraging growth in demand, and this is not restricted to the summer vacation period alone. Our Holiday Readiness Report (December 2020) reveals a significant increase in consumer confidence in travel: 89 per cent of respondents displayed keen interest to resume travel and 67 per cent of respondents are willing to travel in the next 6 months.

With pent-up demand, Indians are using every opportunity to travel – for short breaks, weekend trips, celebrating a special occasion, etc. The work from home model is a great opportunity and India’s young working professionals and millennials are making maximum use of this – exploring their bucket list locales India while ensuring that they are connected to work via Wifi.