 "hospitality, hotels")
Travel demand for the summer season has already picked up, with hotels and travel operators observing a further surge driven largely by families over the Good Friday–Easter weekend.
EaseMyTrip, an online travel company, recorded a 40 per cent rise in bookings for the Good Friday–Easter weekend and for longer holidays, as travellers used the break to take an extended vacation.
Mumbai to Goa, Delhi to Amritsar, and Hyderabad to Mumbai are among the most popular domestic routes for the upcoming weekend getaway.
“Internationally, Thailand and the United Arab Emirates have seen the highest bookings this Easter weekend, with many travellers using the long break to extend their trips," said Rikant Pittie, chief executive officer (CEO) and cofounder, EaseMyTrip. “Meanwhile, Goa, Udaipur, and Rishikesh continue to top the domestic list. Interestingly, Shillong and Pondicherry are also emerging as newly preferred destinations this year.”
He added that the Easter break has become a much busier travel window, with demand fuelled by two key segments: young working professionals and families. Pittie said that luxury hotels and resorts continue to see strong traction among both groups.
Anil Chadha, managing director, ITC Hotels, echoed Pittie’s observation, noting that the company is seeing a clear trend of corporate travellers combining work and leisure by travelling with family to short-haul destinations, while ensuring access to MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions) facilities to conduct business as needed.
“Compared to the same period last year, we are seeing a clear increase in bookings, especially across our hill station properties. Our destination properties like Mementos in Jaipur and Udaipur, ITC Grand Bharat Manesar, ITC Rajputana Jaipur, ITC Mughal Agra, ITC Grand Chola Chennai, and Welcomhotel by ITC Hotels (in Chail, Shimla, Katra, Pahalgam, Mussoorie, Jim Corbett), as well as Storii by ITC Hotels, Amoha Retreat Dharamshala, Urvashi’s Retreat Manali, Storii by ITC Hotels, The Kaba Retreat Solan, and Fortune Resort Heevan Srinagar, are all seeing good demand,” said Chadha.
At Raffles Jaipur, a luxury hotel under the Accor Hotels brand, occupancy has jumped by 12–15 per cent, with room rates rising by 10–12 per cent.
“The Good Friday–Easter weekend provides an ideal opportunity for a short yet indulgent escape. Jaipur’s proximity to major metros and excellent connectivity make it a convenient destination," said Binny Sebastian, general manager, Raffles Jaipur. “There is a noticeable surge in high-end domestic travel, especially from urban hubs like Delhi and Mumbai.”
Hotels have also rolled out special Easter-themed offerings. Vishal Kamat, executive director, Kamat Hotels, said several hotels in their portfolio are nearing full occupancy, with The Orchid Hotel Shimla, The Orchid Manali, and The Orchid Passaros Goa already fully booked. He mentioned that their resort properties in Konark, Goa, and Murud (in Raigad) have also seen increased demand for the upcoming weekend.
“We have several special offerings for Easter brunch at The Orchid Mumbai, The Orchid Pune, and our other hotels. Bookings are already coming in. We also have various options at our coffee and gourmet shops, which contribute to our overall food and beverage revenue,” said Kamat.
He added that members of Orchid Rewards (which has over 800,000 members) can take advantage of offers on food and beverages, along with promotions such as ‘buy two nights and get the third night free’ on room bookings.
Similarly, Crimson Hotels expects its Easter lunch and dinner offerings to boost food and beverage revenue by 15 per cent. Sandeep Maitraya, founder and director, Crimson Hotels, said hotels in their portfolio are witnessing a 15 per cent year-on-year (Y-o-Y) rise in occupancy, with room rates up about 10 per cent from last year. He noted increased demand from travellers in Delhi, Surat, Ahmedabad, and Jaipur.
Akshay Thusoo, senior vice-president, commercials, Sarovar Hotels, said this year’s Good Friday–Easter weekend provided more opportunity for travel compared to last year, when the break coincided with exam season and the start of elections in several states, which dampened demand. For Sarovar Hotels, occupancy and room rates have both increased by 8–9 per cent Y-o-Y.
EaseMyTrip also reported a noticeable uptick in alternative accommodations this Easter weekend.
“We're expecting a 15–17 per cent hike in occupancy, with a 25–30 per cent increase in room rates compared to last year,” said Dharamveer Singh Chouhan, cofounder and CEO, Zo World and Zostel. “Inventory is selling out before and after the long weekend, reflecting the trend of extended weekend plans.”
He added that offbeat destinations such as Shangarh, Shoja, Theog, and Kotgarh (in Himachal Pradesh), and Kolad (in Maharashtra) are among the top picks this weekend. With the arrival of summer, there’s also a shift towards beach destinations such as Pondicherry, Visakhapatnam, and Port Blair (Sri Vijaya Puram).
A long weekend, short distances
· Top domestic routes: Mumbai–Goa, Delhi–Amritsar, and Hyderabad–Mumbai lead short-haul getaways
· Thailand and UAE emerge as top international picks for the Easter weekend
· ITC Hotels sees strong demand, especially at cooler, nature-centric properties
· Raffles Jaipur clocks a 12–15% jump in occupancy, with rates up 10–12% vs last Easter
· Kamat Hotels’ resorts in Shimla, Manali, and Goa are fully booked
· Crimson Hotels expects Easter F&B offerings to lift revenue by 15%
· Sarovar Hotels reports an 8–9% year-on-year rise in both occupancy and room rates
· Zostel expects a 15–17% spike in occupancy and a 25–30% hike in room rates year-on-year
