Indians prefer long weekend travel as Covid recedes: Report

Hyderabad: As the population across the world continue to get jabbed and several countries opening up their borders to welcome travellers once again, people have begun boarding flights and checking into hotels among a lot more movement, says a report by OYO titled Unlocking Travel Report 2021.

Commemorating World Tourism Day 2021, the travel agency has released interesting insights that captures top global travel trends and the most sought-after leisure destinations around the world.

According to OYO's data on travel preferences across different geographies, in India, there is a high preference of long weekend travels. Goa stands as the top tourism spot, followed by Jaipur and Manali which are set to become India's top leisure destinations for the upcoming holiday season. The survey says, 37 per cent travellers have a preference for mountains, 33 per cent for beaches in India. The remaining 14 per cent prefer visiting motorable places for road trips, followed by heritage cities and pilgrimages.

In India, vaccinated staff and sanitisation protocols at properties are the top two factors that consumers keep in mind before deciding their next travel destination and accommodation.

In the UK, there's a preference for travel over short weekend breaks, followed by school holidays and business trips. Americans, on the other hand, choose to explore local destinations and new experiences, followed by solo travel. It is also observed that in the USA, hygiene and cleanliness are a top priority for travellers.