While sudden rains on Thursday evening and Friday did bring some respite from the toxic air to the capital, many families are travelling to destinations with good air quality – pre-empting a further rise in high AQI (air quality index) levels, especially post Diwali.
“The last few days were terrible,” said a 39-year-old banking professional who is making the most of the school closure to head out with her businessman husband and 8-year-old daughter to Goa. “We were planning to go somewhere within driving distance but all the nice places were sold out. Last-minute Goa hotel bookings were expensive but it’s worth it,” she said, requesting not to be identified.
Thomas Cook said it has bookings lined up for customers travelling with their families for 7-10 days to avoid the recent gas chamber-like situation in the national capital region.
Hill destinations like Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand have witnessed the highest demand for bookings while beach destinations such as Goa, Andamans, Kerala, and Sri Lanka have witnessed a 35% rise in bookings in the past five days, said Rajeev Kale, president and country head – holidays, MICE, visa, of Thomas Cook (India).
Daniel D’Souza, president and country head of SOTC Travel, said, “High levels of seasonal air pollution and deteriorating quality of air in the city has led to increased queries from our Delhi customers seeking some respite and fresh air.”Over 85% of SOTC queries are for beachside destinations and more green spaces like the hills with better air quality. Among beach destinations, Goa, Andaman, and Pondicherry are the top preferences while Nainital in Uttarakhand, Shimla in Himachal Pradesh, and Doodhpathri and Patnitop in Kashmir are among the most preferred hill stations.Travel portal Yatra.com is witnessing an uptick of approximately 20% in both hotel and flight prices compared to previous months. “While there is an observable trend of people leaving Delhi and NCR during this time, this demand is mostly due to individuals returning home for festivals,” said Bharatt Malik, senior vice president, flights, at Yatra.com.
The demand for hotel bookings remains strong, particularly for the holiday season beyond November 15, said Malik.
Communications consultant Sayantan Sinha said he is leaving for Jalpaiguri as he had decided to get out of Delhi this Diwali based on recent years’ experience. He plans to go to Kashmir in end-January when the situation is expected to worsen once again.
“This is how Delhi suffers every year, and introducing odd-even again is only a cosmetic change; it won’t make any significant difference,” Sinha said. “The only option is to get out.”
