Republic Day weekend rush: Coldplay and Kumbh drive travel interest

The Republic Day (R-Day) weekend is becoming important for travel, as British rock band Coldplay lights up the stage in Ahmedabad while the Maha Kumbh Mela sees devotees flock in droves to Prayagraj.

 

According to travel platform Cleartrip, hotel bookings in Ahmedabad have witnessed a surge of 1,047.6 per cent for January 26-28 compared to the last weekend.

 

Hotel room rates, too, have seen an uptick of 75.5 per cent in the same period, Anuj Rathi, chief business and growth officer at Cleartrip told Business Standard.

 

Coldplay is set to perform two back-to-back shows at the Narendra Modi stadium in Ahmedabad over the weekend.

 

Data from Cleartrip further indicated an 83.2 per cent hike in flight bookings to the city compared to last weekend. The airfares have gone up 17.1 per cent.

 

The weekend is also proving to be an opportunity for people to witness the grandiosity of the Kumbh Mela going on at Prayagraj.

 

Hotel bookings in Prayagraj went up by 89.5 per cent during January 26-28 compared to the previous weekend. Room rates in the city have gone up 11.9 per cent in the same period, Cleartrip data indicated.

 

According to travel agency and search aggregator Skyscanner, January 28 stands out as the peak travel date, indicating higher travel interest due to the second shahi snan (royal bath) on January 29, which is considered highly auspicious.

 

“Other dates with high booking volumes include January 14, 15, 25, and 29,” the platform stated in a report.

 

The Maha Kumbh has drawn over 100 million devotees until January 23. The Mela will conclude on February 26.

 

With the rise of spiritual tourism, many tourists are also extending their Kumbh trips to cover nearby spiritual destinations.

 

The Kumbh Mela is topping customer preferences, with new inventory added to meet the growing demand.

 

“Additionally, many travellers are extending their trips by combining their spiritual experiences in Prayagraj with visits to nearby destinations such as Varanasi and Ayodhya,” said SD Nandakumar, president and country head, holidays and corporate tours, at SOTC Travel.

 

Meanwhile, people are also looking at short escapes from cities to celebrate the weekend.

 

“With Republic Day falling on a Sunday this year, working professionals are opting for a day off on Monday or Friday to enjoy an extended break of 3-4 nights. Our demand trends indicate a growing preference for quick getaways,” said Rajeev Kale, president and country head, holidays, MICE, visa at Thomas Cook (India) Limited.

 

People from Delhi are keen on short holidays to drivable destinations such as Naukuchiatal, Shimla, Dharamshala, Mcleodganj, and Nainital. Those from Mumbai and Gujarat are headed to Rajmachi, Lonavala, Matheran or Mahabaleshwar.

 

“Customers from Karnataka and Tamil Nadu are looking at Hampi, Gokarna, Coorg, Pondicherry, and Kanyakumari for a quick getaway,” Kale added.

 

Short-haul outbound destinations are also on the radar for Indians.

 

“With hotel rates around 2-3 per cent lower compared to last year (which saw a long weekend and consequently higher demand), outbound destinations like Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sri Lanka and Thailand continue to be popular choices among Indians,” Kale further said.