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Curbs, curfews and restrictions dampen holiday travel plans
The new year started with a new ray of hope for the severely hit travel industry — on its path to recovery — with an influx of tourists but situation is grim once again
Our social media timelines were once again full of photos from vacationers, enjoying their escapades, as the travel restrictions were eased and Covid-19 cases saw a decline. However, the relief was short-lived, as the sudden rise in the cases brought along new curbs, hitting travel plans yet again.
“Last year, when I’d planned to visit Uttarakhand with my kids, the lockdown was announced. And now, we had to cancel our tickets for this summer break. After all, safety comes first and travelling for vacation can’t be a priority,” rues Sarita Chaudhary, a Delhi resident and mother of two.
Echoing similar sentiments, Vikram Lalvani, chief of revenue management, sales and destinations, Sterling Holiday Resorts Ltd, says, “The expected demand, especially for summer months, has subsided since April 5. This is the second consecutive year that the business has been impacted.”
The new year started with a new ray of hope for the severely hit travel industry — on its path to recovery — with an influx of tourists. “The beginning of 2021 witnessed an optimistic rise in demand for travel, where domestic destinations started seeing more footfall. Travellers planned leisure trips to make up for the missed travel in 2020,” says Sabina Chopra, co-founder and COO, corporate travel and head industry, Yatra.com.
Similar was the case with car rental companies, as Gaurav Aggarwal, founder and CEO, Savaari Car Rentals, points out, “Before the second wave, we witnessed a near 100% recovery in demand for leisure trips.” Keeping their well-being in mind, many are switching to a private mode of transport. “Travellers view car rentals as the safest mode of public transportation in such circumstances,” he adds.
Also, while people are sceptical to travel via flights or trains for their recreational break, the demand for private cars for emergency purposes is witnessing an increase. “Leisure trips have given way to strictly emergency travel. The second wave has seen an unprecedented spike in the number of cases, increasing the demand for emergency car rentals by over 60% since last week. Emergency trips include essential travel to hometowns, given with the looming fear of lockdowns,” says Aggarwal.
With the new wave of Covid-19, as many travellers put their vacation plans on hold, there are last-minute cancellations and postponements. “There has been an increase in flight cancellations as consumers are cognizant of the increasing Covid-19 cases,” adds Chopra, revealing that customers are now booking closer to the travel date and are also prioritising health and safety measures while exploring accommodation options.
On the accommodation front, travellers are either cancelling and shifting dates or extending the holiday till month end to avoid the curfew restrictions. Some are still planning a getaway, but now at secluded destinations. “We have seen a few cancellations of fresh bookings, about 3-5%. However, some guests are requesting for an extension of their stay by a week or 15 days to escape the lockdown phase,” says Ankita Sheth, co-founder, Vista Rooms.
“Most of the bookings are not getting cancelled like last year, but travellers want to defer — change the dates,” concludes Lalvani.
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