Indians flock to Abu Dhabi, Andaman Islands amid record booking surge

Abu Dhabi sees 146 pc rise in bookings, Andaman Islands top domestic choice

This Holi Indians are embracing travel, both domestic and overseas, with Abu Dhabi seeing a 146 pc booking surge and the Andaman Islands leading domestic getaways. The long weekend has sparked a travel frenzy, boosting tourism across both international and domestic destinations.

Indian travellers are capitalising on the Holi long weekend, which falls on a Friday this year, to explore both domestic and international destinations.

Ixigo, an online travel agency, in a press statement says that short-haul international trips are surging in popularity, with Abu Dhabi witnessing a remarkable 146 pc year-on-year increase in bookings, whereas Bangkok and Singapore follow closely, experiencing rises of 38 pc and 40 pc, respectively.

The statement says that domestically, leisure destinations are seeing significant growth in demand and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands have emerged as the top choice for travellers seeking serene escapes during the festival.

According to the statement among cities, Gorakhpur leads the domestic travel trend with an impressive 154 pc increase in bookings for March 13–16 and Port Blair follows at 78 pc, while Ayodhya and Darbhanga have seen rises of 50 pc and 43 pc, respectively.

The statement adds that other popular domestic destinations include Bagdogra with 42 pc, Varanasi at 30 pc, Dehradun at 28 pc, Srinagar at 23 pc, and Madurai 17 pc and these locations cater to diverse traveller preferences, from spiritual tourism in Varanasi to scenic retreats in Bagdogra and Srinagar.

As per the statement the simplified visa procedures for these destinations further contribute to their popularity during this festive period.

“This Holi season, we are seeing an average 45-50 pc year-on-year increase in flight bookings, driven by a mix of homebound travel, leisure getaways, and spiritual tourism. Cultural hotspots are witnessing a surge in demand this Holi. Flight bookings to Ayodhya have skyrocketed by 50 pc for Holi, while Varanasi and Amritsar have seen a 20-30 pc increase. Tier-2 and 3 cities are witnessing a surge in flight bookings for the Holi weekend, with Gorakhpur seeing the highest increase at 154 pc. With airlines rolling out attractive discounts, it is a great opportunity for travellers to book their trips at affordable fares,” Rajnish Kumar, Group Co-CEO.