Hyderabad emerges as hot travel destination

The city is attracting tourists from far and wide, with bookings soaring for the month of May

Hyderabad: Hyderabad has emerged as one of the hottest travel destinations this summer. The city is attracting tourists from far and wide, with bookings soaring for the month of May. Tourism agencies are bustling with arrangements and handling the flock of people visiting the city.

According to Waseem Syed, the proprietor of Cloudz Tours and Travels, Hyderabad is the talk of the town with nearly 15 per cent of daily inquiries being about trips to the city of pearls. “We’ve seen a significant increase in the number of visitors to Hyderabad this year. It’s not just Indians, but even foreigners are showing keen interest in exploring this city,” he added.

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Meanwhile, Hyderabadis too seem to be in the mood of exploring the world. While Hyderabadis are welcoming travellers to their city, they themselves are preferring to explore destinations such as Kullu Manali, Singapore, Malaysia, and Dubai. “Honeymooners are particularly attracted to the turquoise waters of Maldives, while young people are opting for the party paradise of Thailand,” he added.

On the other hand, Hyderabadis are increasingly booking city packages for weekend getaways or short trips. According to Manohar Rao, Telangana State Tourism Development Corporation managing director, the bookings have already surged for May, with travellers looking for leisure destinations and reservoirs brimming with water. The city has turned into a travel hotspot this summer, and the trend is expected to continue, thanks to diverse culture, beautiful landscapes, and warm hospitality.

City key market, says Thomas Cook

Indiver Rastogi, Group Head and president, Global Business Travel, Thomas Cook (India) and SOTC Travel says Hyderabad has been a key market for them this year with a 25 to 30 per cent increase in demand for both domestic and international destinations compared to last year with key drivers being families, young professionals/millennials and couples/honeymooners.

“Additionally, IPL travel is on the upswing with a 70 to 80 per cent surge in demand for travel in Hyderabad and also events like the Global Art & Design Education Expo and concerts. We have witnessed strong revival from our Hyderabad customers for long/mid-haul destinations like Europe, Turkey, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa,” he said.

Short hauls seeing a brisk uptick are SE Asia (Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia), Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Maldives. Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Goa, Andaman and the North East are popular on the domestic front. Airfares for popular sectors from Hyderabad have witnessed a surge in April as compared to March.

The fares have increased by 15 per cent for Chandigarh, 40 per cent for Srinagar, 20 per cent for Bagdogra, 10 per cent for Goa and 15 per cent for Port Blair. There is also an uptick of 10 to 15 per cent for major cities such as Mumbai, Delhi, and Bengaluru. Additionally, fares for international sectors are also on the rise ahead of the travel season. What is noteworthy is that there has been a 10 to 15 per cent decrease in fares for Dubai.