The Republic Day long weekend beginning Saturday is driving a surge in travel with hotels and resorts witnessing an increase in bookings led by high demand, reflecting a decisive shift in traveller behaviour and the rise of micro-getaways, industry players said. The increasing preference for short, experience-led holidays is emerging as a strong trend shaping the country's leisure travel market.
Foreign tourist arrivals in India dropped to 6.18 million during the April-September 2025 period against 7.06 million during the same period last year, which was a drop of 12.4 per cent.
Cond Nast's editors have sat down, like they do yearly and listed their favourite stays in Asia.
The growing YOLO (You Only Live Once) mindset, coupled with a desire for immersive outdoor experiences, is driving demand, primarily across age groups from 20 to 45 years.
Travellers are turning concerts into full-fledged weekend getaways, giving rise to the 'gigcation' -- a short, experience-led micro-holiday.
India's live events scene is hitting a high note. With global performers adding the country to their tour maps and the government aiming to double the concert economy, hotels in key metro cities are bracing for sold-out weekends. Travel operators, too, are curating packages built entirely around concerts.
Instead of ticking off bucket-list activities, 'Nap'cations revolve around curated rest. Think blackout curtains, memory foam beds, herbal teas, rejuvenating spa sessions, and even anytime breakfasts.
From lounging by turquoise beaches shaded with straw parasols to wandering through charming old towns and winding stone lanes, Jaiswal's travel album feels as refreshing as his strokeplay.
'The upcoming long weekend has ignited strong travel intent, with robust bookings across leisure, spiritual and wellness destinations.'
Strong demand for cultural and spiritual hubs is expected for destinations like Varanasi, Kolkata during Durga Puja, and Pushkar for the camel fair, besides leisure destinations like Goa, Udaipur, Jaipur and Coorg.
'...than by the calendar.' Indian travellers are no longer restricting their getaways to summer or winter holidays.
Destinations like Coorg, Munnar, the Western Ghats, and parts of the North East, are at their scenic best in the monsoon.
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Rohit Sharma has hit pause on the cricketing chaos for a well-earned family escape to the Maldives.
'Countries like Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos, and the Philippines have a 50 per cent increase in bookings.'
With Valentine's Day falling on a Friday, travel is picking up as people look for quick getaways.
From high-end villas with private sommeliers to exclusive showcases at cultural centres to private sessions with Michelin-starred chefs and celebrities, hotel chains are pulling out all the stops
With only a few days to go before the country celebrates Holi, several airline companies offered discounts on fares on the occasion of the festival of colours. While two airlines are providing discounts on both domestic and international networks, another has the offer only for the domestic sector. Low-cost airline Akasa Air said it is offering an all-inclusive one-way fare starting at Rs 1,499 on domestic routes.
During this summer, Indian travel buffs are opting for destinations that provide an escape from the ominous heat, along with coastal regions within the country and countries offering visa-free travel.
Sara Ali Khan has a treat in store for her fans. Rediff.com's Mayur Sanap, Hitesh Harisinghani and Afsar Dayatar get the details.
Budget travelers, these monsoon getaways are meant for you!
Some residents have already taken this step to relocate, either temporarily or permanently, some to their native places and others to clean-air destinations like Goa and Himachal Pradesh.
We asked readers to send in their favourite holiday locale. Here are some of the responses we received.
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'With its gorgeous marine life, beautiful beaches, Lakshadweep is the perfect getaway spot and surely a must-visit for me for my next holiday #ExploreIncredibleIndia'.
Where should you head off to holiday in this wonderful weather? Harnoor Channi-Tiwary shares her favourite monsoon getaways from across the country.
With over 3,000 species of plants, 26 interconnected lakes and the 250-year-old Great Banyan Tree -- the largest in the world -- the Indian Botanic Garden is a veritable treasure, discovers Payal Singh Mohanka.
With clean blue waters and golden-white sands, these super beaches have a magic that is hard to keep away from.
Skip the regular hill stations and go for these pristine lesser-known ones instead.
A trip to any of these enchanting waterfalls guarantees a memorable vacation.
Amardeep Singh, 22, a resident of Brampton, Surrey, and Abbotsford areas of Canada, has been charged with first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder.
India's luxury car rental market is experiencing a surge in demand, particularly in Tier 1 cities such as Mumbai, Bangalore, and Delhi, with executive travellers, especially from the tech sector and younger demographics like the millennials and the Gen Z, increasingly renting high-end vehicles for special occasions and domestic travel. Luxorides, a luxury car rental company, observed a 40 per cent year-on-year rise in bookings in 2024 (until April) on popular routes like Delhi-Rishikesh, Delhi-Vrindavan, and Delhi-Jim Corbett National Park, as well as Chandigarh-Manali and Chandigarh-Ladakh.
With the Ram Mandir scheduled to open its doors to visitors in January, Ayodhya is expected to welcome travelers both from India and abroad.
It's that time of the year when everything looks greener and prettier.
An expert reveals how you can still get out of town for the upcoming long weekend.
You shouldn't miss a visit to Sadashivgad beach and Gopalpur beach!
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