Vizagites opting for short getaways this New Year

VISAKHAPATNAM: It is not exotic European locales, African safaris, Caribbean cruises that are the flavour of this New Year holiday season for Vizagites, but the good old destinations right in the backyard of the city. What’s more, long leisurely vacations are out and short 3-4 day getaways are what Vizagites are opting for.

After witnessing a major slump in inbound tourist traffic during the peak seasons of October-November due to the Samaikyandhra agitation and a series of cyclones, travel and tour operators are relieved that business has picked up by 30-40% from mid-December thanks to Vizagites looking to their nearby vicinities to take a short break. Destinations like Araku Valley and Lambasinghi have found their way on the itineraries of strapped-for-time Vizagites. District tourism officer S D Anita, said, “Around 50% of the tourist inflow to Araku is from Odisha and Bengal usually, but this time Vizagites are also heading there during New Year and January in huge numbers, due to which all hotels are packed.”

“People are also showing interest in off-beat destinations within the district such as Paderu, Dallapalli and Lambasinghi. Misty Lambasinghi, where temperatures fall below zero during winter, is generating a lot of curiosity among Vizagites. But since there’s no proper infrastructure in these places, people have to come back the same day,” Anita added.

Incidentally, this year, apart from the overwhelming popularity of destinations that are just a few hours drive away, the other trend is that the family crowd has come down to just 30% of the total outbound tourist traffic. This decline in family outings is being attributed to the severe academic disruptions during the Samaikyandhra agitation, due to which educational institutions have cut down on holidays and are going ahead with classes as board exams are slated for March.

“Local tourism has gone up by 30-40% recently as most families aren’t venturing too far away from home this time as the education of children has suffered due to the frequent strikes and three-month long Samaikyandhra agitation. Also educational institutions and tutorials have curtailed winter vacations and are making up for the lost classes. Therefore, most families are opting for the forests and hills of Odisha and Chhattisgarh with Chilka Lake, Puri-Konark and Taptapani in Odisha a favourite as the itinerary can be completed in 2-3 days without hampering studies, while a few are opting for Sikkim and North Bengal” explained B Ravi Kumar, manager, operations (holidays), Travel Home.

K Sri Devi, staff with Travel World averred, “Around 80% of the travellers this year are youngsters, mainly groups of bachelors who prefer to holiday in Goa during New Year. Barely 20% of the clientele comprises families. The family crowd wants to spend just 3-4 days in the vicinity of Vizag at places such as Araku or Jagdalpur, with some queries also for the Himalayan foothills of North Bengal and Sikkim. As for international destinations, Bangkok and Dubai are being preferred but that too for just 3-4 days trip.”

K Neelima, international counter staff of Frontline Travels also agreed that there is not much demand for international gateways this year, barring the nearby destinations like Colombo, Bangkok and Singapore. “Families opting for international travel are fewer than last year and are booking just for 3-4 days,” she said. Jayanti Swapna, domestic counter staff pointed out that Goa and Kochi are preferred among the domestic locales but primarily among bachelors and young couples without kids as only 25-30% of tourists are families.

The neighbouring state of Chhattisgarh is another sought-after destination for Vizagites this time as Chhattisgarh Tourism Board tourist officer K R Jyothi pointed out. “With the Sirpur traditional dance festival coming up between January 4 and 6, there are a lot of enquiries from travel aficionados. In fact, the state government is focusing on a package that includes Sirpur, Raipur and Barnawatara wildlife sanctuary. Chhattisgarh, with hills, jungles and waterfalls, has huge potential for development of adventure and eco-tourism,” stated Jyothi.

Vizagites opting for short getaways this New Year