This Diwali, Indians Are Preferring Inter-State Road Trips And Beach Destinations

Across South India, travelers from Chennai and Bangalore are heading out on road trips to Kochi in Kerala, the southwest coast of India. Goa, India's beach capital, on the other hand, is attracting travelers from across the country. The majority of bookings are from Pune, followed by Bangalore and Hyderabad.

As per the overall travel trends across India, between April 2020 and September 2020, observe an uptick in bookings across business destinations including Delhi, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Mumbai, and Kolkata. On the other hand, among leisure cities, OYO's booking data also highlights that some cities like Shimla, Manali, Munnar, Ooty, and Gangtok that didn't enjoy high demand compared to other tourist hotspots during pre-COVID days are now increasingly showing positive signs of rising bookings since September 2020.

In Shimla, it observed a whopping 280 percent month-on-month growth in bookings for September 2020. Additionally, according to its recent consumer survey, while there's a surge in demand for leisure travel across the country, 80 percent of users are searching for sanitized stays, while 46 percent of users seek regulation related information while planning their next travel.

Commenting on this trend, Harshit Vyas, SVP & COO – Franchise Business, OYO India & South Asia, said: "The festive season combined with gradual unlocks has resulted in a surge in leisure travel since September 2020. As states open up their borders to welcome tourists, OYO, and the entire hospitality industry, continue to offer safe experiences that lead to rising consumer confidence among travelers.