Cheer is returning to travel and tourism sector amid demand revival

We have seen a recovery in our bookings in the last seven days, says Sunil Bhaskaran, CEO of AirAsia India

Cheer is returning to the travel and tourism sector, too. “Demand has come back strongly,” said Sunil Bhaskaran, CEO of AirAsia India. “We have seen a recovery in our bookings in the last seven days.” 

While Omicron did not impact essential travel as severely as earlier Covid waves did, leisure travel was hit for 3-4 weeks, said MakeMyTrip group CEO Rajesh Magow. But in the last 10-odd days, the booking curve has gone up significantly, he added – both for hotels and for Goa, the popular destination that Omicron temporarily put off the tourism map. “We are hoping this momentum will continue into summer,” Magow said.

On January 10, domestic airlines flew 237,677 passengers, 27 per cent higher on a week-on-week basis. The number of departures and seat occupancy, too, are rising. On Thursday, airlines flew 1,812 domestic flights compared to 1,562 on February 3.

“There’s an overall positivity,” said K B Kachru, vice-president, Hotel Association of India. The last 10 days have been really good for the food and beverage (F&B) business, he added, attributing it to the saaya days (auspicious days for weddings). “After the onset of the third wave, we had thought the saaya days in February and March would be a washout.”

He, too, expects the strong booking trends in leisure and business to continue. And for the recovery to gain momentum once international travel restrictions ease further. According to the revised health ministry guidelines, starting February 14, international travellers will no longer need to quarantine for seven days or get tested at the airport if they come from an at-risk country.

The picture isn’t as bright in Tamil Nadu, though, with the Chennai airport closed till February 28. "People are very cautious in terms of domestic tourism. And with most embassies closed, where will you get a visa for overseas travel? " said AVS Ramani, president, IATA Agents Association of India, Tamil Nadu.