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Domestic vacations take a backseat as youngsters go global this season
The concept of destination vacations or quick getaways has always fascinated youngsters in the city, all the more so during the December holiday season. While earlier it used to be Goa or closer home like Puducherry, now the trend seems to have shifted to travelling to Sri Lanka, Dubai or South Asian countries which are just a few hours away by flight.
By
migrator
migrator
Chennai
The past week has seen a flurry of posts on social media, especially on Instagram, of several college students and young professionals from Chennai vacationing in pristine beaches and partying it up at glitzy hotels. How have these holidays become so affordable?
“We planned our Sri Lanka trip well over a month in advance, and as a result, it was cheaper for us to holiday here as opposed to usual haunts in India like Goa or Gokarna. There are several travel groups and forums in Chennai, that help travellers like us to make optimum use of discounts, airline offers, etc. It cost less than Rs. 15,000 each for a six-day trip here,” says Prasanth Ravikrishnan, a student from Chennai, currently in Galle with his friends from college.
Sreenidhi Sriram, who works at Freshworks in the city, is currently in Singapore with her friends. “It’s important to plan it properly during the festive period. It’s always exciting to visit a foreign land. Using options like public transport helps exploring these places better on a budget. It’s the age where we can roam and venture the most with all the energy we have!”
It’s not just youngsters, even middle-class nuclear families are warming up to the idea. “For many parents who are first-time foreign travellers, this is a great experience after being convinced by their kids. They don’t mind spending an extra Rs 10,000 for a family vacation,” says travel enthusiast Mridhula, who runs a trip-planning forum in Chennai.
Reshma of Origin Tours, a travel agency in the city said, “There are more people travelling abroad this year as opposed to domestic travel. There has been an overall increase in our customers as well. The hottest domestic destinations are Jaipur and Andamans. This year there have been more people keen to visit Kashmir as well. As for international travel, apart from Sri Lanka, there is a high demand for trips to Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore, Switzerland and France.”
Advance Plans
With so many people out of town on December 31 on destination holidays, most luxury hotels in the city have been hosting both Christmas parties and pre-New Year parties well in advance. An F&B manager from a five-star hotel in Chennai says, “Our bash was initially planned for New Year’s Eve, but to avoid the risk of a poor turnout, we have rescheduled it to December 26 with our star DJ. The week leading up to New Year’s Eve seems to be the time when Chennaiites are in the city, with many going out of town on December 31 and January 1.”
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