The monsoon might not be the traditional time to plan a holiday, given the unforeseen inconvenience it might throw up, such as delayed or cancelled flights due to poor visibility or landslides, or disruption of rail services due to floods.
For budget travellers, however, the July-September period is a great time to get away from the dust and heat of the city. And there are many who are following this mantra to unwind.
Says Pratik Mazumder, head (marketing) at Yatra.com, “This monsoon, customer traffic has increased by 25 per cent, compared to last year.”
Since this is the off-season, tourist spots are less crowded, air tickets are cheaper compared to the peak season (even more if booked in advance) and bargain rates are up for grabs at hotels.
| VALUE-ADDED TRIPS (Figures in Rs) | |||
| Destinations | Packages (for 2) | Low season | Peak season |
| Goa | The Baga Marina, Goa | 19,999 | 26,999 |
| The Resort, The Coracao | 13,999 | 15,999 | |
| Ramada Caravella | 27,000 | 29,500 | |
| Radisson Blu | 28,000 | 45,000 | |
| Nagoa Grande | 18,999 | 23,999 | |
| Kerala | Serene Kerala | 11,999 | 15,999 |
| Ladakh | Magical Ladakh | 26,990 | 29,990 |
| Kerala: 5 nights & 6 days, Ladakh: 6 nights & 7 days, Goa: 3 nights & 4 days Source: Thomas Cook (India) | |||
The average duration for trips in this season is usually two-four days, mostly weekends. These are popular with families, working couples, groups of friends/colleagues and those travelling alone.
Deepraj Joshi, associate vice-president, leisure travel (domestic), at Thomas Cook (India), says Goa, Ladakh, Rajasthan, the Andaman and Kerala are the most preferred destinations during monsoon. “Customers can get a discount of 20 to 50 per cent compared to the peak season (summer) if planned properly,” he says.
Mazumder says air tickets can be cheaper by up to 30 per cent if booked in advance.
Experts say travellers who plan a holiday in the monsoon should start planning and booking from March to get the best rates on air tickets. However, one should not fret as there are deals and offers even for last-minute travellers. For instance, a MakeMyTrip’s Kerala tour taken now would cost Rs 22,999, down from Rs 24,999.
Discounts apart, those travelling in this season get lots of freebies or extra services from travel companies. These include additional meals, an extra destination, free sightseeing, free spa/salon sessions and sometimes even a day or two extra at the resorts. Other services like complimentary breakfasts, gifts and cash vouchers, which are common even in other seasons become a must in off-season packages.
“Travellers have to pay extra for almost all of the additional services on a similar tour in the peak season. That too, for a premium,” says Prashant Chauhan, director of myguesthouse.com.
For instance, the Kerala tour mentioned above includes accommodation for two, railway station/airport-hotel transfer, breakfast buffet, lunch and dinner, intercity transfers and sightseeing. Similarly, a trip to Goa, which costs Rs 10,999 for three nights, will include a cruise on river Mandovi, return airport/railway station transfers, daily buffet breakfast, lunch and dinner, free entry to the in-house discotheque and happy hours at the Atrium Bar, compared to the package which comes with certain limitations during peak seasons.
“Since we deal only in accommodations, we offer discounts of 30 to 40 per cent. Our company saw a 100 per cent rise in the number of bookings that happened this monsoon as compared to last year,” says Chauhan of myguesthouse.com. Adding that companies are their largest target market as they book tours in groups.
Office groups usually book last minute tours depending on their holidays, but prefer planning their own itinerary and not the ones which are planned by travel companies. For them, this arrangement makes sense as they can opt for a hotel which gives highest discount and schedule their stay accordingly.
Experts say, companies may lose out on the offers and freebies given by hotels or resorts on tour packages. But, the upside is they are free to choose their hotels without the fear of the travel company having to share their profits with the hotel.
If planned and executed properly, a monsoon holiday becomes a worthwhile experience with the absence of the too many casual tourists. Also, for a fussy traveller it makes sense as it brings out the vibrant hue of the scenic destinations coupled with generous value additions and discounts offered.
