Vaibhav Kala Vice President, ATOAI

We have been pushing for demands to open ETVs and international flights, which is a sign of confidence for overseas travellers to begin making plans. Waiver of peak fees, free ETVs for adventure tourists, have been discussed with the MoT.

With the advent of what may potentially be a massive surge in the 3rd wave, the priority is to keep safe, stay responsible, keep our teams out of harm’s way, and keep clients safe in the outdoor arena. Most importantly, offer products that can follow good practices, with small bubble groups, keeping the learnings from the 1st and 2nd waves top of mind. We feel this is possible and maybe the only approach to keeping operations alive and sustainable.

Also, the promotion of India as a prime destination for adventure travel needs to be strengthened, rebranded, and reinvented, with positive communications about our outdoors and its potential.

We are seeing some concern, slight trepidation on the new phenomenon of revenge travel, but all plans are going ahead now. There is a feeling that this may not last as long, and people are still going ahead with having conversations and planning for their 2022 travels. Bookings are coming with short notice for quick getaways, but conversations for longer vacations continue. Staycations, workations, homestays emerged as a new trend in 2021. For shorter stays, this trend will continue as we see impending lockdowns, curbs, and restrictions in travel. However, outdoor travel will increase with better knowledge of to-dos, pre-planning, SOPs, etc.; we see longer and longer custom-built vacations for bubble groups. Fluctuations in access regimes, needing to adapt, innovate, offer new products, ensure customers feel secure, keep teams together, reach out even more. So much more of running harder to stay in the same place for now; yet being ready for an exploding market as the pandemic leaves us in 2022. Being ready for increased demand is what I can put money on.