Winter holiday budgets up 48 pc this year

winterMUMBAI: High inflation is not coming in the way of holiday spends as more and more travelers are booking longer and expensive holiday packages this winter compared with last year, says a report.
“The average holiday budgets per person per night have increased to Rs 2,325 this winter from Rs 1,564 in 2012, indicating a 48 per cent rise.
“Trips have become longer by 36.3 per cent with travelers taking an average trip of 3.8 nights this year,” says holiday information portal HolidayIQ.com’s report ‘Insights: Winter Holidays Prediction Report 2013’.
It analyses the patterns between November 2013 and January 2014.
But though not skimping on the budget, people are planning trips in smaller groups, with group size decreasing 16 per cent.
Beach and hill station destinations are most popular this winter, accounting for almost 78 per cent of the holidays planned, according to the report.
Due to winter holidays in schools, families form a significant part (26 per cent of planned trips) of tourist traffic.
Traditionally, the report says, travelers prefer to travel within the region they reside in. However, this winter there is a marked increase in travelers choosing holiday destinations outside their region.
Last year only 41 per cent of winter trips were planned outside the traveler’s region of residence whereas this year such trips account for 66 per cent of all trips planned.
Those from east and north-east travel outside more while majority of south Indian travelers prefer traveling within the region.
Couple travelers plan longer and more expensive holidays allocating the highest average budget of Rs 2,611 per person per night, followed by family travelers at Rs 2,137, group travelers at Rs 1,974 and single travelers at Rs 1,693, it said.
Holidays planned by women have 8 per cent higher budgets than those planned by men, it added. -PTI