With the monsoon ushering in a cooler climate, Indians are keen to travel and this has resulted in a 15-20% increase in demand compared to last year – for monsoon travel. To capitalise on this increased demand, Thomas Cook (India) Limited, India’s leading omnichannel travel services company and its Group Company, SOTC Travel, have curated exciting monsoon getaways that include short driveable holidays, air-inclusive holidays, weekend & extended weekend getaways and multiple shorter trips/ mini-cations.
The portfolio extends across popular locales like Kerala backwaters, Wayanad, Coorg, Munnar, Vagamon, Alleppey, Chikmagalur, Ooty, Kodaikanal, Manali, Shimla, Nainital, and Pondicherry. Also, Himalayan ranges and off-beat destinations like Dharamshala, Spiti Valley and the North-East; beach destinations like Goa and Andamans.
Travellers from Delhi-NCR are keen on short and drivable holidays to Shimla, Manali, Dharamshala, Mcleodganj, Nainital, Mussoorie; travellers from Maharashtra & Gujarat are visiting Rajmachi, Lohagad, Igatpuri, Lonavala, Matheran, Mahableshwar and Panhala; and travellers from Karnataka/Tamil Nadu are visiting Hampi, Gokarna, Coorg, Pondicherry, Kanyakumari.
Outdoor enthusiasts can opt for thrilling game drives at leading national parks like Kanha, Bandhavgarh and Corbett or monsoon hiking/trekking. Adventure seekers are spoilt for choice with high adrenaline experiences such as body surfing, waterfall rappelling/trekking in Rishikesh and Lonavala; white water rafting in Ladakh, zip lining in Dawki, kayaking in Kerala, etc.
Leisurely biking trips among quaint hamlets, lush meadows and tea/coffee plantations are also a top draw across India. This is an ideal time for Kerala’s famed ayurveda treatments and a tour of the backwaters and forests of Thekkady.
Additionally, short haul international destinations are witnessing high demand during this season with increased interest for Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Dubai, Abu Dhabi; island destinations like Maldives, Mauritius. Strongly emerging on the radar are Vietnam, Cambodia and Japan; also Nepal, Bhutan and Sri Lanka in the Indian subcontinent.
