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Lean Season: Best time to travel
Discounted
vacations and holidays-on-sale this season
Is it a gimmicky preposition when an email with
discounted airfare + amazing holiday packages pops up in your inbox? Not
quite, confirms ET-Travel research. Over 70 per cent of working
professionals admit that it does set them thinking about taking off on an
impromptu vacation. Thanks to never-again vacation plans, all brilliantly
laid out to the T for you, it’s interesting to see how Indian travellers
make the most of an extended weekend within India (domestic) and abroad to
indulge in monsoon time off-season offers. It’s called ‘Lean Season’ in the
travel market. Right after summer vacations, where most us would have
holidayed with our school-going kids, comes the time of lull. Monsoon sets
in and we, too, get back to our office work. Yet, travel service providers
work out good deals to lure travellers back into a holiday mood, during the
lean season. Here’s how it works...
FLY AWAY
Since airfares are rising constantly, travellers tend to get convinced
each time a big discount is offered. Sajid Khan, Country Manager-India,
South African Airways makes a point, “The lean period in any country sees
the tourism industry providing newer incentives to travellers to encourage
tourist traffic. Ultimately, it all depends on how a country chooses to
perceive this so-called ‘lean period’. It will exist if you think it does.
If marketed well, any destination will see an influx of tourists at a given
time of the year. Discounts and incentives are a part of this strategy and
help encourage tourists to experience different facets of the same
destination, irrespective of when is the best time to visit it.”
COMBO OFFERS
All the aspects that hassle us — airline bookings, hotel rooms, city
tours, pick and drop facilities from the airport or railway station, are all
worked out in one simple package. ET-Travel report reveals that most
working professionals from Delhi and Mumbai tend to take off to Goa for
some party time in the lean season. Saurabh Khanna, GM, The Park, Holiday
Beach in Goa affirms the trend, “Weekends are normally high occupancy days
considering that Goa is now promoted as a ‘365 days on a holiday’
destination. Occupancy here will be high during the Independence Day week.
Weddings and conferences help sustain occupancy in Goa during the monsoons.
The rates are lower than what a guest would get during peak season (October
to March), but occupancy averages between 60 to 70 per cent in most
hotels.”
In the same tone, Saurabh Nandi, Chief Marketing
Officer, The Lemon Tree Hotel Company, adds, “Our Flexi offers of hotel
credit against services caters directly to the needs of families and
couples. At this time, we offer them great value for money.”
GOING THE DISTANCE
Tourism Boards who view India as
a strategic market extend many offers. Nishant Kashikar, Manager, Tourism
Australia says, “Whilst the monsoon period is considered a ‘lean season’
for the Indian outbound travel segment, there are a host of exciting and
popular events in Australia during this period such as the Barossa Gourmet
Weekend, Hamilton Island Race Week, Darwin Festival, Floraide, the Great
Barrier Feast and the Blue Mountains Yule Fest, which attract tourists to
the country. The new, direct service on the triangulated
Delhi-Sydney-Melbourne route to be launched by Air India this month will
provide a huge boost for the Indian outbound market, especially during the
lean period, and prior to the commencement of the festive and wedding
season in India.”
It’s also the multi-destination itineraries that
attract a corporate traveller in the lean period. Sunil Puri, Hong Kong
Tourism Board representative in India emphasises, “We are currently working
with Macau Government Tourist Office to launch some
multi-destination itineraries
package with Indian agents to attract Indian visitors. Indian nationals can
enter Hong Kong, with a valid travel document, for a period up to 14 days
without a visa so last minute travel is possible and hassle-free to Hong
Kong.”
ONLINE OFFERS
Mohit Gupta, Chief Business Officer-Holidays, MakeMyTrip says, “The
monsoon season is in fact the best time for valueconscious travellers and
those looking for nature-oriented experiences. Kerala and Goa are at their
lushest best, and the fivestar properties and resorts offer fantastic
off-season rates. Monsoon travel destinations in the North are Udaipur and
Mount Abu in Rajasthan (there is little rainfall there). Families, couples
and singles alike are all taking advantage of the long weekends in August
to take some affordable and refreshing monsoon breaks.”
So, what keeps you?
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