Travel Risk: Domestic destinations to gain ground this summer

New Delhi: Queries for closer home, domestic destinations are going up for summer travel in the face of an escalating conflict in West Asia as per early booking trends, industry insiders told ET.

Ved Khanna, board member at industry body Federation of Associations in Indian Tourism and Hospitality (FAITH) said early travel enquiries for the upcoming summer season indicate a 'strong inclination' for domestic destinations, as travellers remain cautious about global uncertainties and rising travel costs. Khanna said industry feedback suggests that travellers are 'actively exploring' domestic destinations with a focus on cooler weather and experiential travel. "There is also growing curiosity for exploring destinations in the North East, besides lesser known hill stations in Uttarakhand," he added. MakeMyTrip co-founder and group CEO Rajesh Magow said if the conflict gets prolonged, people might shift to domestic destinations or 'non impacted international destinations.'

Companies said early trends suggest that domestic tourism will remain strong this summer, with travellers prioritizing hill stations, spiritual circuits, and emerging destinations across India. A Cleartrip spokesperson said the company is seeing a steady increase for the March-May period compared to last year. "Last summer was dominated by traditional hill stations like Manali and Ooty, but this year we are seeing a strong pivot towards destinations that offer unique geographical experiences. For instance, Jaisalmer is leading such searches with bookings going up by over 300% followed by Jalgaon, another emerging destination," the spokesperson added.


Whenever there is global uncertainty, geopolitical tensions, aviation disruptions or currency volatility, many travellers prefer destinations within India because they offer greater flexibility and fewer travel risks, said Ravi Gosain, president of Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO). Gosain said hill destinations such as Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand along with the North East are likely to see stronger demand this summer. “Beach destinations such as Goa and Andaman & Nicobar islands may also benefit if travellers choose shorter, hassle free holidays within the country,” he added.

Domestic tourism continues to gain prominence, especially across spiritual circuits and destinations such as Ayodhya, Varanasi, Prayagraj, Bodh Gaya, and the Rishikesh Haridwar circuit besides Southern pilgrimage hubs like Tirupati and Rameshwaram, said SD Nandakumar, president and country head for holidays and corporate tours at SOTC Travel.

Thomas Cook (India) is seeing growing interest for destinations across the far east including Japan, Australia and New Zealand. The company has also introduced dedicated charter departures from Bengaluru and Ahmedabad to Bhutan, said Rajeev Kale, president and country head for holidays, MICE and visa at Thomas Cook (India). Kale said the company’s TravSure product offers free rescheduling, and refunds in emergencies, additional coverage for flight disruptions due to war like situations and hotel stays during transit or emergencies.

Pickyourtrail co-founder and CEO Hari Ganapathy said with airlines like VietJet and Air India announcing sales for Vietnam and Australia, customers could also ditch westward destinations for South East Asia and markets like Australia besides options like Disney Adventure Singapore, Disney's first Asia cruise launched recently. “It’s a big cruise aimed at families, and our teams travelled to Singapore to understand the product. I don’t know if it is right or wrong, but people have started taking things in their stride post the Covid-19 pandemic, and travel intent still remains strong,” he added.