Valentines’ Day: Couples drive hotel bookings, in advance

According to travel operators many working couples booked holidays between February 11 and 14 to celebrate the occasion. And, majority of the bookings happened well in advance. Nearly one-third of the hotel bookings for that period on travel portal Cleartrip, happened last year; some of them as early as March.

Most 2017 long weekend calendars drawn by travel companies showed only one short break this month starting from February 24 owing to a public holiday on account of Mahashivratri (Friday). But holiday bookings by predominantly couples celebrating Valentines’ Day seem to have forcefully added another weekend to that list.

A couple near the historic Taj Mahal on the eve of Valentine's Day in Agra.(PTI Photo)

According to travel operators many working couples booked holidays between February 11 and 14 to celebrate the occasion. And, majority of the bookings happened well in advance. Nearly one-third of the hotel bookings for that period on travel portal Cleartrip, happened last year; some of them as early as March.

Around 45% bookings happened between two to five weeks in advance while less than one-fourth happened last week, the portal’s booking analysis showed.

Gift Items displayed in a Gift Shop during the Valentine's week. (Sushil Prajapati/HT Photo)

“For those choosing to stay back in the city and not sticking with the traditional ways to spend Valentine’s Day, we see a line-up of interesting activities. The top three activities booked on Cleartrip Local are Hot Air Balloon ride in Delhi, a Yacht experience in Mumbai and visiting theme parks like the Snow City in Bangalore,” said Subramanya Sharma, chief marketing officer, Cleartrip.

He added that the rush was expected to surge closer to the date.

Other travel operators concurred.

Manmeet Ahluwalia, marketing head with Expedia said that Valentines’ Day itinerary bookings had mix of classic international destinations and quaint places at driving distances from metro cities. “While Matheran, the more established hill station near it is too crowded, Vikatgad fort merely 4km from Neral was more suited for V-day,” added Ahluwalia. He added that among international destinations Mauritius and Corfu in Greece, a popular Ionian island were among the picks. “This place is dotted with villages of whitewashed houses, churches and Venetian fortresses. It also offers the exciting nightlife.”

Hotels at metros and popular holiday hubs such as Goa are offering good discounts, added travel operators. “Most hotels are offering up to 20% discounts because this is an off season for leisure travel. Discounts were higher because Valentines’ Day is a week day. But that might have whipped up the demand,” said a Colaba-based travel operator requesting anonymity.

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