The Surya Kiran team showing some love during Aero India.
| Photo Credit: K. BHAGYA PRAKASH
With Valentine’s Day falling on a Friday this time, Bengaluru-based couples are making the most of it by going for weekend getaways and short vacations. Apart from romantic getaways, experiential and spiritual tours are also being preferred.
“We have seen a demand surge from couples for the upcoming Valentine’s Day long weekend; with significant additional uptick from the honeymoon segment – this being India’s wedding season,” said Rajeev Kale, president and country head, Holidays, MICE, Visa – Thomas Cook (India) Limited.
The surge in demand has been attributed to couples wanting to get out of Bengaluru and have more experiences.
“The desire for meaningful and immersive travel experiences is on the rise, with couples seeking unique and intimate settings to celebrate love and companionship. Additionally, the growing trend of experiential travel has led to increased bookings,” said Rikant Pittie, CEO and co-founder, EaseMyTrip.
He added: “Most of the travellers for Valentine’s Day this year are young couples, particularly from the Gen-Z and millennial demographics. These groups are keen on making the most of the long weekend by exploring new destinations that align with their desire for experiential travel.”
Nainital, Darjeeling, Manali, Kasol, Dalhousie, Kodagu, Munnar, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and Puducherry are the romantic favourites domestically, whereas some have even booked international travel escapades to no-visa countries/on-arrival visa destinations like Thailand, Malaysia, Mauritius, the U.A.E. etc.
New experiences sought
“In addition to romantic escapades offering sundowners, private dining, spas, and wine tasting, our millennial couples are pushing the envelope with demand for fun outdoor adventure experiences such as yachting, kite sailing, scuba diving, camping, trekking, riding hot-air balloons, biking trips to scenic terrains; safari drives, and jungle experiences,” Mr. Kale added.
Even with their accommodation options, couples are getting creative for the weekend. Most of them have also shown a preference for non-conventional options like treehouses, cave hotels, havelis, bungalows, and villas rather than hotels and homestays.
Tour operators have also seen that with the ongoing Maha Kumbh Mela in Prayagaraj, couples are also preferring to go there as a form of experiential and religious travelling to “deepen their bonds.”
Officials of the Tourism Department also said that with events like Aero India and ‘Invest Karnataka-2025’ taking place in Bengaluru, couples are looking to get out of the buzz of the city and get to quieter places for their celebrations.
Published – February 12, 2025 09:32 pm IST
