Travel plans soar on #Holiweekend

From Rajasthan to Goa, Delhi-NCR folks are all set to holiday across India to celebrate the festival of colours this year.

Holi falls on a Friday this year (March 18), and Delhi-NCR residents are planning to make the most of the extended weekend with a quick getaway. Travel agents share preferred destinations include Goa, Jim Corbett National Park (Uttarakhand), Ranthambore National Park (Rajasthan), Pushkar and Jaipur (both Rajasthan). “Covid-19 cases kam hain, isliye people are very excited this time. We have got bookings a month prior to the Holi weekend. People have even booked Pushkar for Holi. Those who prefer to travel by road are also going to Jodhpur,” says Himit Jain, a city-based travel agent.

Travel agents report a spike in bookings for the long weekend of Holi, with destinations such as Mathura, Vrindavan, Gokul a top favourite among delhiites.

“Holi ka weekend hai toh Goa mein hi manaenge, yeh soch hai logon ki. Goa full hai poora,” shares Surinder Malhotra, a travel agent from Dwarka. “70-80% sale ho rahi hain. Saare hotels full hain. Vaccinations ke baad logon mein confidence aa gaya hai,” he adds.

“Bookings for the long weekend of Holi are 50% higher than other weeks in March,” adds, Daniel D’Souza, president and country head of a leading travel and tour agency. Destinations such as Mathura, Vrindavan, Gokul remain a top favourite, too. Rajeev Kale, president and country head of a travel and tour company, adds: “Our Holi Escorted Tours covering locales that are of special significance to the festival like Mathura, Vrindavan, Gokul, Barsana and Nandgaon, have seen truly encouraging interest, not just from families but also groups of millennials and friends, too.”

A Gurugram-based businessman, Yatin Wadhwa, shares, “Me and my friends are planning to go on the 17th, and be back on 19th. This is going to be my first trip to Vrindavan after two years, and we are very excited about phoolon ki Holi.”

Delhiite Arpit Bindal, who works in retail, has planned his Holi getaway with family to Jim Corbett. “Travelling with friends and family for Holi is like a ritual for us. Now Covid-19 cases are so less, hence we are not very hesitant to take the kids out as well,” he says. “We are having a family get-together in Coorg for Holi... It is a weekend, so it is a great opportunity to utilise it and have a famjam,” adds Abhinav Jain, a businessman from Delhi.

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