revised: Ready for the highway

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Solo sojourns, breakaway bubbles, weekend wonders, relaxury and cuisine corners — here’s looking at the post-pandemic travel trends that will dominate the year, which is filled with many extended weekends

Purnima Sharma

London, it couldn’t be (last year), but Lansdowne it shall be (this year),” smiles Nandini Sharma, a healthcare consultant based in Gurugram. After being ‘grounded’ for close to a year, she is looking forward to her sojourn in the mountains. As with most avid travellers, the pandemic ruined her plans not just for the city of the Big Ben but also for her onward journey to Croatia. “Tickets were done, bags packed, and then everything had to be cancelled,” says the 33-year-old.

Almost a year on, tourism is slowly but surely opening up. Avid hodophiles are gathering up courage and all set to don their travelling boots. Although international tourism will still take a while, domestic travel is the way to go this year. According to a survey by travel portal Booking.com, the five prominent trends that will be witnessed this year are going solo, weekend trips, luxury stays, breakaway bubbles and cuisine corners. Here’s a look at these:

In one’s own company

Having already tasted the pleasure of going solo while travelling, the trend for many youngsters will again be on an upswing. “After being cooped up in the house for most part of the dreaded 2020, it’ll be good to enjoy one’s own company in delightful new surroundings,” says PR consultant Abhinav Gupta, who will soon be heading from Delhi to Mysuru. Having done Europe solo twice before, he says, “It is a great way to rediscover yourself. You have your own space. Make your decisions without being answerable to anyone.” And for those who feel that solo travel is for loners, he says, “No way, when you’re alone, you make more friends with other people. I have struck many meaningful friendships with total strangers,” he adds.

Looking forward to her first solo trip, says Nandini, “It’s an experience I am looking forward to.” She decided on planning a trip only after the vaccine came. A tony resort in the picturesque Lansdowne town of Pauri Garhwal will be her ‘worktation’ for the day (“since I am still in the WFH mode”) and holiday resort for the evening. And her odometer won’t stop there for Nandini plans to hit the highway yet again — this time towards the beach — with a vengeance. “I plan to spend a few days alone in Goa lolling on the beach,” she laughs.

41-year-old Vir Nakai has been a mountain buff for as long as he can remember. The biker from Chandigarh is all set to enjoy the Himalayan magic on his own. “I’ve always enjoyed going solo, sometimes also with friends who share my passion,” he says. With a trip to Arunachal Pradesh “for work” already done, Nakai has plans to hit the dirt track for biking trips “to explore hitherto unexplored places in the Pangi valley (in Himachal) and the Mustang and Manang districts of Nepal.”

Friends for fun

Home confinement of the past year kept many away from their relatives and friends. “Although we were connected through phone and video chats, it was still tough”, says food blogger and author Dipali Bhasin. No sooner than the clamps were eased than she set out for two holidays in quick succession, first to experience the rugged jungles and wildlife of Ranthambore and then to enjoy the serenity of the mountains in Mukteshwar with her family and friends respectively.

For one whose travel diaries invariably included international destinations, especially areas close to the Black Sea, Dipali is now “completely sold out” on what her ‘backyard’ a.k.a. places at drive-able distances offer. “We must take full advantage of the excellent deals being offered here to lure tourists,” says Dipali. “Indian tourism has been badly affected and needs our help now more than ever before.”

Short ’n’ sweet

With about 15 long weekends that the almanac is showing up this year, travellers are looking at them as ‘a blessing indeed’ to be made full use of, as Piyali Dasgupta, a keen traveller asserts. “That’s because while long holidays are still an afterthought for many, shorter breaks are a good substitute as they help you escape reality, even if it is for a few days.” Piyali and her photographer husband have already planned breaks in places like Dalhousie and Deeg. “And on the way, we shall be enjoying the hospitality of smaller towns where sanitisation and offering the cleanest of facilities is the norm, especially now. But, we also carry our own sleeping bags and dry food for additional safety.”

But before that, Piyali will be taking off for Manali to celebrate Valentine’s Day. This special day, she asserts, “will hopefully make us forget the drab existence of last year”.

Soak in the luxury

The constant drill of household chores and office work last year has left many, as Asha Kiran, a Tirupati-based painter, says, “mentally and physically drained”. No wonder, as she asserts, “many like me, are planning to give ourselves a break — the idea being to just relax in luxurious surrounds without having a worry in the world,” she says, already dreaming of a break in Bandhavgarh. “It’ll be a good gift to our own selves from the money saved up from last year,” she adds.

Ritu Mahajan, a businesswoman who shuttles work between Delhi and Faridabad, will be content with trips to her house in Mashobra. “The mountains are a perfect panacea, especially to beat lockdown blues.” Whenever she plans a trip with her family and friends, a day or two before they leave, what is mandatory is a corona test.

Local food tours

Having had their fill ofghar ka khana last year, many vacationers while planning their holiday are also looking to have a taste of local cuisine. “This no way means that we shall be reckless,” says Abhinav. For one who always books himself for a local food tour at the place he’s visiting, he shall miss having street food “that are always such a delight”. But for now, it’ll be avoided. “However, the places I will be staying at are famous for their food — that’s the reason why I booked myself there,” he smiles, getting geared up for a taste of a variety — from Shavige Bhat to Saaru — on his Mysuru holiday.

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Sabina Chopra, COO, Yatra.com

While corporate travel has (“understandably”) seen a downslide, outings with family and friends are becoming more of a norm. Solo travel, which was much in vogue earlier, is getting back on track “more so, because the WFH lot is looking for a ‘workation’ amid beautiful surroundings. Small groups of colleagues are also taking breaks together because, after the lockdown, people are looking for companionship and moments of togetherness.”

Another reason for joint travel plans is that after job losses and pay cuts, sharing costs is making travel more affordable “even if the place is a trifle expensive. But as long as it’s clean and well sanitised, travellers don’t mind.”