Indians flying off to Bali, Sri Lanka this Diwali season

Foreign destinations, especially those closer home, are a hit this Diwali season in metros as well as in two and three-tier cities.

“We have seen a 25% rise in outbound travel. Families prefer overseas holidays for short duration. The climate is also conducive for travel,” said Karan Anand of Cox & Kings.

Sri Lanka, with just two to three hours of travel time, is a hot destination this year. “Travelling to Sri Lanka is cheaper than heading to Kerala. And Sri Lanka offers the best shopping experience,” said Manoj Samuel of Riya Travels.

Indian travellers are exploring newer destinations too. “Bali is a top destination this season. We expect to see an increased interest to other parts of Indonesia with free visa facilities for Indians,” said Kavitha Gnanamurthy of Skyscanner India. Other newer destinations include Vietnam and Cambodia. “So is Oman for its natural beauty,” said Anand.

While close to 70% of them, on an average, go for five nights and six days vacations, the rest prefer nine nights and 10 days. Escaping noise in the city is not he only reason why Diwali travel takes a lead. The festival also coincides with school holidays hat last 15 days.

“It is also the last holiday period so I would like to exhaust my leave before the year ends,” said Gaurav Mehta, who is headed to Dubai with his wife and daughter.

Destinations like Dubai, which is only three hours away, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand which are four to six hours away , Seychelles six hours and Turkey six hours, are popular among Indians. Greece and Russia are also in. Another destination that has caught the fancy of Indians is China, which now has direct connectivity from Mumbai, said Ranjeet Oak of MakeMyTrip.com. (TOI)